Diverging Paths
by David Knight
Summary: Coauthored with Drakuzz. At the Valley of the End, the fight between Sasuke and Naruto take an unexpected turn, changing the destiny of more than just their very lives. Chapter 6 is now up.
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer:** Neither I nor my co author own Naruto. There's nothing more to say than that. This story is a collaboration effort between me and Drakuzz. For those of you that have read our first collaboration Twin Troubles, we hope you'll come enjoy this tale. For those of you that haven't, we also hope you enjoy this as well._

**Diverging Paths**

**By David Knight and Drakuzz**

**Chapter One: The Choice**

_...so... this is it..._ Naruto thought as he could already see Sasuke's Chidori was going to get him. Possibly worse than his Rasengan would hurt Sasuke.

He was going to die.

Which also meant the Kyuubi would die with him.

And yet for some reason... He couldn't let that happen. Even if it was a demon… It was still a living being.

_Hey. Kyuubi. _

**_What do you want now, brat! Are you so pathetic you can't use that sliver of my power!_** The Kyuubi asked in its growling and loud voice.

_This is your lucky day. I'm going to set you free._

Even Kyuubi wasn't prepared for this, as evidenced by its shocked question. **_WHAT!_**

Naruto smiled to himself. _So, even the great Youkai can be surprised._ He became serious then. _Swear for all time never to attack or destroy Konoha or its people and I'll set you free._

Even if the demon was surprised, it still recovered fast and growled back. **_And leave myself unprotected from them should they attack me! Trade life today for death tomorrow!_**

_I said never to attack or destroy. Self-defense is something I accept but someone as yourself can get away without killing anyone._ Naruto stated. _That's the deal. Take it, Fox, or we both go._

**_... What do you mean we both go, brat!_** The demon fox asked.

_Don't you know? Sasuke's about to kill me with the Chidori and I'm not going to be able to do a thing about it._

**_You fool! Use my power to kill him!_** The Kyuubi snapped angrily.

_No! I won't kill him! I made a promise to bring him back alive!_ Naruto shouted back intensely. _I will not betray my word by bringing him back dead! I'd rather die myself!_

**_And how can you keep your promise if you die!_** The demon asked back, clearly angry.

Naruto said nothing. _...why do you care? Don't you want to be free Fox?_

_**Are you giving up!**_

_I can't avoid the Chidori. I can't win without killing him, and I won't kill him. I'm finished. The only question left is, do you want to die with me or not?_

**_... How can you break the seal!_** The Kyuubi asked at long last. It hadn't been able to for more than a decade, yet this boy claimed he could do it...

Naruto gave a smirk. _I've known ever since I learned Kage Bushin. I learned how from that forbidden scroll._

The Kyuubi's demonic eyes widened behind the gates that held it prisoner. Could this brat... Learn such a technique in a few scant hours!

"Get ready," Naruto said as he started forcing down his chakra and made seals. _Ox. Eagle. Dog. Horse..._ His hand started to glow black.

**_What are you doing!_** The Kyuubi asked, its eyes narrowed as it saw the chakra.

"Yeah. Forgot to mention... It's a forbidden jutsu," Naruto said having finished the seals. "And it's supposed to be used on the outside of the body, but in this case, it'll still work."

The demon remained silent, staring at the brat intently, and Naruto struck the lock on the cage with his chakra-charged hand.

"Lock represents the seal," Naruto said with a grim smile. Suddenly the gates opened... But before he could see anything else, he felt a pain through his chest. "... And with seconds to spare..." He managed to get out in a gasp.

He fell to the ground of his own mind, dying and as he died he had only one remaining thought left.

_Sakura-chan... I'm... sorry..._

-----

Uchiha Sasuke stared at the sight before him. His arm had gone through Naruto's body. He was dead. Pushing the body off of his arm, he looked at the arm, now drenched in blood, the blood of his...

Suddenly pain racked his body, and he felt it coming from the cursed seal on his neck. His cursed form and the markings retreated into the seal, leaving Sasuke in his normal form. The pain went away after a couple of minutes. Feeling it was alright, he activated his Sharingan, yet found it to be only his normal one. No sign of the advanced bloodline that his bastard brother had.

_Why... Why don't I have the Mangekyou! Did I just..._ He stared back at Naruto looking at him as he stayed still with a hole in his chest. There was no healing taking place. No red chakra mending his body.

Naruto was dead.

He had killed his...His friend for nothing.

Dread washed over Sasuke like a tidal wave, his hands were shaking as he fell to his knees. He felt blood rushing up through his mouth, spewing it on the ground, his chest burned, and now so did his eyes. As he tried to open them, they felt different, as if strained. Like a heightened sense had appeared so suddenly and he wasn't prepared for it.

In a rush, forgetting about Naruto, he went to the river and looked to see his reflection. He saw it. He had the Mangekyou.

Sasuke threw his head back in laughter, relishing this accomplishment. Naruto's death wasn't worthless. He had achieved the ultimate Sharingan.

But when he looked back into the lake he saw not his own reflection, but instead that of Itachi. He turned around but saw no one behind him. Looking back in the river all he saw was his accursed brother. "No... Why am I seeing him! I am not like him! I am not Itachi! I didn't kill..." He denied until the word kill came from his mouth and he turned to see Naruto's body again. Unmoving, inert… Dead. "... I... I killed my... I killed Naruto..."

Staring back at the lake he still saw Itachi's reflection instead of his own, smugly smiling at him. It was as if the Mangekyou was telling him something now. It was only when he deactivated it did he see himself as he was, but it only confirmed the truth. A truth he was ashamed of. To acquire this power, he had become that which he despised most.

He had become Itachi. Another betrayer.

Sasuke put a hand to his neck, right where he new the cursed seal was. Orochimaru would give him power and skill. But what further cost would he pay? He had already become like this brother. Would he become even worse than Itachi in order to kill him?

The answer was simple.

Removing his headband from his head, he placed it into Naruto's right hand, having the blonde ninja's hand hold it tight. A message of sorts. He stared at Naruto's glazed and unmoving eyes before closing them with his hand and saying something he never thought he would say to anyone and truly mean it. "... I'm sorry... My friend..." Turning around, Uchiha Sasuke walked away, heading away from Fire Country as the first drops of water of what would be a terrible storm started to fall, which suited his current mood just fine.

As he walked through the forest, Sasuke understood now that for revenge, he could no longer go any lower, otherwise he would shame his clan, which he wanted to rebuild. _I will kill Itachi without you, Orochimaru. I swear, I will not become worse than my brother. That, I promise._

What he didn't get to see, for he was already walking away, was the red chakra slowly seeping through Naruto's skin.

-----

Naruto started to open his eyes and felt it very bright yet his body was still wracked with pain. "Aren't you supposed not to feel any pain if you are dead?" He asked no one in particular with a wince.

As an answer he heard a female snort of derision. "You're lucky, brat. Damn lucky," a rich woman's voice was heard.

"...huh?" Naruto blinked, unfamiliar with that voice. "Who's there?"

"Get up, you idiot! You're not hurt anymore," the woman snapped.

Naruto ended up jumping up to his feet, finding he had some aches but no where near the pain he should have had if he was still alive. "Guess I really am dead."

He received a bop to the head for his comment. "Would it hurt if you were dead? Idiot!"

"OUCH!" Naruto exclaimed. He got angry at once, not liking this woman at all, whoever she was. He felt soaked a bit now that he thought about it, soaked to the bone. It was raining, and hard at that. _... Okay maybe I am NOT dead, but still..._ He turned his attention to the woman at once. "Now look! Just who do you think you..." He let his jaw drop when he turned around and saw her.

It was a rather young woman, maybe around her early twenties. Other than that she looked perfectly normal, except for her orange hair and red eyes. Eyes Naruto instantly recognized, for they were eyes that he'd never be able to forget.

"K-k-k-KYUUBI!" Naruto exclaimed falling backwards and trying to move away. This was something he didn't expect at all and he was the one that freed the demon!

The woman grinned at him, showing elongated canines. Even in her relaxed position, sitting against a boulder, she looked menacing. "Brat..."

"But, if you're here, then I am not dead... But Sasuke... The Chidori.." Tearing off his shirt, he found what barely counted for a scratch near where his heart was. Where Sasuke had pierced through his body with the Chidori. The loudmouth ninja was at a loss for words.

"You're as slow as usual. It figures coming from such an idiot," Kyuubi said as she stood up, showing that she wasn't very tall either.

"Hey! If it wasn't for me you'd be dead!" Naruto snapped. "How come I'm not dead?"

"If it wasn't for me we'd both be dead, would've been dead long ago," Kyuubi corrected and sighed. "I can't believe that man sealed me inside such a stupid brat."

"... You brought me back?" Naruto blinked in disbelief when he realized it.

The woman's eyes narrowed slightly. "Don't go getting ideas into that hard head of yours. I didn't do it for you."

"Yeah. That would be weird, you acting human by bringing me back," Naruto replied, scratching the back of his head. "So, why did you bring me back?"

"I have my reasons, which are my own," she said imperiously.

Naruto shrugged, not really caring that much. He was alive and Kyuubi had to honor his...Her word. Suddenly he realized he was holding something in his left hand. Looking down, he opened it and saw a Leaf forehead protector. He felt his head and found his own was missing. He saw it not that far away to his left.

_Then... This is Sasuke's,_ Naruto realized.

The woman didn't seem to notice his plight. Instead she turned her head to the side when she felt someone approaching.

Naruto noticed Kyuubi's mood. "Something wrong... Foxgirl?" He couldn't help himself from making that crack now knowing the demon's true gender.

"We're not alone," the woman answered, ignoring his nickname of her for now and narrowing her eyes as a shadow moved through the foliage of the trees. It was hard to tell with the heavy downpour of rain.

Naruto's right hand went to his kunai holster while the other hand put Sasuke's forehead protector into a pocket for safekeeping. The fact that the Uchiha left the protector in his hands meant something, but that was something to consider for later. _Now what? Another Sound-nin?_

It soon became obvious that wasn't the case, as Kakashi walked into view. "Yo," he greeted as casually as he usually did.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto exclaimed, the Jounin was actually the last person he expected to see here.

"Oi, Naruto," Kakashi said as he approached, eyeing the woman standing next to the blond warily. She was standing with a very practiced and relaxed stance, not to mention in a place he didn't expect to find anything but Sound-nins. Taking in the sight of his haggard student, however, told him everything he needed to know about what happened. "Did Sasuke...?"

Naruto looked down while he pulled out Sasuke's forehead protector from his pocket. "... I'm sorry, Kakashi-sensei. By the time I ... Woke up, he was already gone. I found this in my hand when I woke up."

Kakashi sighed before looking at Naruto seriously. "You did your best, Naruto. I'm sorry I didn't arrive earlier."

"Do you think, there's any chance to hope he didn't go running to Orochimaru?" Naruto asked in all honesty. Sasuke was his friend, but he knew how much Sasuke wanted Itachi dead.

"Most likely he went to him," Kakashi said and turned to regard the forest.

A small dog wearing a leaf protector walked next to the Jounin and shook its head. "I won't be able to trace him in this weather."

Naruto just looked back at the leaf protector, still undamaged. "Then why... Why did he place it in my hand, whole and intact."

"Who knows what goes through the minds of imbeciles?" The woman asked rhetorically with a nasty smirk.

"Some help you are," Naruto said to her as he pocketed Sasuke's forehead protector. There WAS a reason behind it. He just had to figure out why... Of course thinking things out logically wasn't his strong point.

"Who ever said I wanted to help?" The woman asked and turned to look at Kakashi. "I just happened by this idiot brat and waited till he woke up."

Kakashi nodded, not convinced at all about this woman's words. Why be here of all places now?

You better remember your promise, fox. Naruto stared at Kyuubi before looking back to Kakashi. "What do we do now, Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi looked at Naruto for a moment. "We should return to Konoha and report to the Hokage."

Naruto wanted to protest, that they should continue to go after Sasuke, but as they said, there wasn't anything to be done now. "Alright. I want to find out how Shikamaru, Kiba and the others are. Do you know anything, sensei?"

"They were all injured in their fights," Kakashi said gravely. "Yet all of them are alive."

Naruto sunk his head. _And I died... But can't exactly say that without giving away foxgirl and I can't do that._ And Naruto knew. Giving away Kyuubi's identity was inviting for trouble right now. He didn't know how Kakashi would react. The Jounin was always calm and laid back, yet this was the demon that almost destroyed Konoha all those years ago.

"Well, let's go," Kakashi said and turned to walk away.

As the Jounin started on his way Kyuubi turned down to look at Naruto. "You're not getting rid of me that easily, brat."

"Eh?" Naruto blinked. "What do you mean? I...Helped you, remember? You helped me. What's left now?" He asked carefully, making sure Kakashi didn't hear anything that would have given away the fox's identity.

The woman crossed her arms over her breasts and gave him a critical look. "I'm sticking around you for now. I did promise not to attack Konoha, but I made a promise before that."

"Eh? What promise is that?" Naruto asked in disbelief. "I don't remember hearing you make a promise before that."

"I didn't make it to you," Kyuubi said and let her arms drop to her sides with a sigh. "Look, just get used to the idea. You're stuck with me for now."

Naruto blinked for a bit before sighing. "Well, let's get going then, before Kakashi-sensei wonders what's up." He looked back at her. "By the way, what do you want me to call you when there are other people present. Eventually someone will want to know your name and you can't just say... You know. That name."

The woman smirked. "What's wrong with my name, anyway?"

"Um, we can't exactly say Kyuubi around people without them getting ideas now can we? Plus weren't you the one that told me you didn't want them after you enmass as soon as I freed you?"

Kyuubi inwardly smirked at the image of her defending herself against the villagers of Konoha, but outwardly she sighed and nodded. "How about you name me? I care not for human names."

"Really?" Naruto blinked not expecting it. He started to think about it seriously when he remembered a certain story. "Kaguya. How do you like that one?"

The woman shrugged her shoulders, not really liking or disliking it. "Why?"

"Well… I kinda remember two different stories about myths with a Kaguya. One was of her being this princess who was born of heaven and earth and ended up becoming a higher being. Other one had her as powerful demon until the time of her death." Naruto explained. "And, you kind of look like a Kaguya."

"Fine... Now let's go," Kyuubi said as she started walking.

Naruto shook his head. "This is sure going to be interesting."

-----

It wasn't until a good deal of time had passed before a figure come up out of the ground from the mountain that was above them. "... Well... To say that was interesting would be an understatement, if anything." He could only imagine how the others would react to the news. He had been sent to make sure Sasuke had not killed the fox brat. Unfortunately he failed that... But this... "Even Itachi would have to be surprised."

He was about to leave when he realized one thing. He remembered the direction Sasuke had been taking and it was leading towards Orochimaru's land. _Looks like he will go to the snake after all._

Zetsu had to leave now and let the others know. The rest of the Akatsuki would be VERY interested to learn of this turn of events.

-----

Sasuke lay against the wall of the mountain, breathing deeply. He had been running full out just to make sure he got as far way from the Leaf as possible. It was a bitch he lost his pack during the fight but he had no time to worry about it.

_Consider your options. You're a missing nin, you got a Sannin that is going to want you for your eyes and a former home that is going to want you for that and for murder. Staying in either country is going to get me killed._ Sasuke reasoned. He had to get through to another country. The closest ones were Stone, Waterfall, Grass and Thunder.

Unfortunately, there was a major problem. Stone, Waterfall, and Grass were all behind him. To get to them he'd have to turn around, stay within Fire Country for days and make his way to the Fire Gate checkpoints in order to cross into either of the countries, which would most certainly get him captured by ANBU. By the time he reached there, the ANBU guards would have been most certainly made aware of his status by messenger bird.

That left Sasuke with only one option. Going to Thunder Country… Through Sound territory. At the moment, Sound nin would probably be helping him if he actually ran into them, thinking that he was joining their side. Still there was risk involved. In his present state he wouldn't last long without rest and food and if he was captured and brought before Orochimaru, it would be doubtful that he would be able to escape from the Sannin.

The odds of his escape into Thunder however were much less if he stayed in Fire Country and tried to escape through the border where the ANBU would be waiting for him.

_Thunder through Sound it is._ Sasuke decided as he continued on his way, hoping for the best.

-----

The guards at the gates of Konoha weren't surprised to see Kakashi walking down the path towards them. They had received the Genin hours before, all of them wounded, together with the Genin from Sand.

They were surprised, however, to see Naruto walking next to the Jounin... With no Uchiha Sasuke in sight.

"..." Naruto had nothing to say right now and already knew what they thought of him. They probably even thought less of him now, coming back without Sasuke and without a single scratch on him. _Curse of healing._

"Yo," Kakashi greeted the guards as he walked ahead and started to talk to them.

Through all of this Kyuubi remained silent, standing next to Naruto as she studied the walls surrounding the Hidden Leaf Village. "Hasn't changed much," she commented, a hard glint in her red eyes. Eyes that even in her human guise were demonic to anyone that took the time to look into them.

"What? Didn't you see anything at all from me?" Naruto asked.

The woman regarded the short ninja sideways. "How? From my majestic view behind those bars?"

Naruto gave an embarrassed laugh. "Ahah. Right. Sorry."

"Idiot," Kyuubi snorted and turned to regard Kakashi, who was walking towards them.

"Everyone has arrived and they are all in the hospital. You should go get yourself checked up, Naruto. I'm going to report to the Hokage," the Jounin said in his casual manner.

"Ah, I'm fine Sensei. I do want to see the others, though." Naruto said.

Kakashi nodded. "Go right ahead."

----

The general feeling in the hospital was tense, the staff working as hard as it could on the injured Genin. Few words were exchanged, with Shikamaru sitting worriedly and fumbling his fingers.

A blonde girl sitting across from him talked some sense into his hard head, or so she thought.

In another room of the hospital several medical nins worked on Hyuga Neji, prodigy of the powerful clan, as his wounds were threatening his life with every breath he took.

In yet another room the Hokage read texts in an attempt to find a cure for yet another Genin, who was almost dead due to a clan power pill.

Even as the outside doors opened barely anyone took notice of the new arrivals.

"Never really liked hospitals," Naurto said to Kyuubi.

"Get used to them," Kyuubi said as she walked next to him. "The way you always get hurt you'll spend a lot of time in them."

"Yeah," Naruto then blinked. "Hey. How fast do I heal now that you aren't inside me?"

The woman shrugged her shoulders. "Your chakra pathways should be different from a normal human's, but now that I'm unable to help in your healing... We'll just have to find out the next time you get in over your head."

Naruto just nodded as he turned over to seeing Shikamaru. "Yo, Shika."

Shikamaru looked away from his father, who had just given him a lecture, and his eyes widened slightly. "Naruto..." The blonde didn't seem to be hurt, but the many tears and the hole in his outfit spoke of something else.

"You okay?" Naruto asked, noticing the guy wasn't that well off.

The Chunin looked at his friend and turned away. "Chouji is in there right now..."

"...That bad, huh?" Naruto said hanging his head. He then felt someone touching his back. "Eh?" He turned around to find Gaara's sister behind him. "Something you want?"

"No. Just curious," Temari said simply. But in her mind was another story. _Like how you have identical holes on both the front and back of your outfit. As if something pierced your body and yet you don't even have a scratch on you._

Shikamaru sighed and looked at the blond genin. "What happened to Sasuke?"

Naruto sighed. "He beat me. When I woke up, he was gone and I found he left his forehead protector in my hand."

Shikamaru looked at the blond, recognizing the guilt in his blue eyes, and smirked. "You're so troublesome. Don't think about blaming yourself." While he wasn't feeling particularly cheerful or confident, he seriously doubted he wanted to continue being a ninja after what happened to the Genin under his command, he didn't want Naruto to place the blame on himself.

Naruto didn't have anything to say there at all.

Just at that moment the door to the room Chouji was in opened, revealing the smiling form of the Fifth Hokage.

"It's alright now," Tsunade said looking at Shikamaru. "The continuous cell destruction effect of the pills were stopped by an antidote I put together. He'll live... This time." She was about to say more when she spotted the blonde ninja. "Naruto?"

"Hi, Baa-chan," Naruto smirked, unable to help himself in calling her that.

Shikamaru winced as he saw Tsunade's eyebrow twitch at the nickname. He so didn't want to be between these two when they got started with the insults.

Kyuubi, on the other hand, was studying everyone in the room carefully. The one that really caught her attention was the Hokage, though. _So this is today's Hokage,_ she thought as she assessed the woman and found herself impressed. For a human she was very strong. Not as strong as the Fourth, but then again she had yet to see someone in his league.

Tsunade hated being called that name, however her eyes went over to that woman behind Naruto. She hadn't seen her before in the village. And those eyes... _... Oh.my.god._ The Fifth did her best not to show any emotion other than her apparent anger at being called a granny by Naruto. In fact to cover up her discovery she played up on that. "Brat! One of these days you'll say that for the last time."

"Maybe," Naruto smirked. _Never._

"Tsunade-sama!" Everyone turned to see Shizune coming to them. "Hyuuga Neji's condition has been stabilized. And we just heard that Naruto-kun and Kakashi..."

"Hi Shizune-nee-chan," Naruto said from behind the medic nin, surprising her.

Tsunade rolled her eyes at the prankster's antics.

"Tch... Troublesome," Shikamaru said with a bored expression on his face, though he was inwardly relieved about the news that everyone survived.

Kyuubi smirked as she stared at Tsunade. So the Hokage could tell what her true nature was? Impressive.

Tsunade looked back at Naruto before asking. "Your mission." A pause and Tsunade knew. "I see. Then this mission was a failure." Before anyone said anything she continued, "But everyone's alive, and that's more important than anything."

Shikamaru nodded slowly, unconvinced but happy that everyone was indeed alive. He turned to Naruto, expecting the Genin to start acting like his usual self and promise to get Sasuke back anyway.

Before he could though, Tsunade spoke to him. "Naruto. Meet me in my office in an hour." Without another world the Fifth walked away, surprising the others, with Shizune rushing after her.

Shikamaru was quick to notice something amiss, yet he couldn't see what right now.

Temari also felt very intrigued by this right now and she wasn't even part of this village. It really wasn't her place, yet this ninja had done much for Gaara. That meant a lot to her. _So it becomes something I want to figure out._

In the meantime, Kyuubi looked at Naruto and smirked. "You're in trouble, brat."

"Eh? Why?" Naruto blinked before his eyes widened at her.

"Even an idiot like you should be able to figure it out," the woman said.

Oh hell. was Naruto's predominate thought.

-----

"Tsunade-sama! What is going on?" Shizune asked once more, they were a good deal away from the hospital now. "Why did you leave the hospital like that? You..." Suddenly she found her self against a wall with the Fifth's hand over her mouth.

"Go and gather the ANBU and have them on standby," Tsunade said steely, making Shizune become very nervous. The Fifth's stare did not waver. Rather it intensified. "Now, Shizune! Have them ready to storm my tower at the first sign of trouble."

"Ha-hai!" she said before leaving the Fifth.

Tsunade stood there for a bit before speaking. "Drop the cloak Jiraiya. I know you are there. In fact, I'm glad you are here. I need you."

A white-haired man with red lines painted from his eyes to his jaw stepped around a corner. "Why call the ANBU, Tsunade?"

"The ANBU won't do any good against it if its intentions are evil. You and I are the only ones that have a chance in hell of killing it if it comes to that," Tsunade said without facing the Sannin. "Funny, I would have thought it would have just slaughtered us all."

Jiraiya blinked in confusion at that. "Killing what?"

Tsunade turned around and looked Jiraiya dead in the eyes, saying only one word. "Kyuubi."

The man's eyes widened at that. "Are you sure!" He was certain the seal was perfectly fine when he checked it. There was no way it could've been broken.

"I saw it, in the form of a human woman, standing right next to Naruto." Tsunade said, her tone deadly serious.

"Are you sure it was it?" Jiraiya asked quietly.

"Do you think I would even suggest this unless I was absolutely certain?"

"Hmm..." The legendary frog sannin crossed his arms over his chest. "Was Naruto well?" He highly doubted the Kyuubi would let Naruto live if it ever got out of that seal.

Tsunade blinked, thinking over the same thing as Jiraiya now. "Actually, yes..." Her eyes widened as she realized something. "Except for a hole in the front and back of his jacket, as if something went through his body, yet he didn't have a scratch on him." The demon was behind that. She was certain of it.

"Perhaps we should learn more before coming to conclusions, Tsunade," Jiraiya suggested. "While inside of him the Kyuubi had to keep Naruto alive. Why keep him alive now?"

"I don't know. But I intend to find out when I have the demon in my office." Tsunade said.

The man nodded, thinking that he should definitely be there. The Kyuubi had destroyed many lives, including his student's, years ago. It wouldn't do to have it attack once again.

-----

Naruto was with Kyuubi when he went into the Hokage's tower. He had a sense of dread yet the damned fox couldn't help her smirking. "How can you be enjoying this, foxgirl?"

The Kyuubi continued to smirk as she walked past the ANBU guards and into the tower. "How could I not enjoy it, brat? I'm rid of you and now everyone will find out."

"And how is THAT a good thing?" Naruto asked.

The woman didn't answer, instead walking silently the rest of the way as she followed Naruto, which annoyed the blond ninja tremendously.

When they got to the Hokage's room and entered, Naruto saw Tsunade standing… But Jiraiya was there as well, to Naruto's surprise.

"Shut the door." the Fifth said, looking at Naruto with a stare before the boy felt the need to do that at once. Once it was closed, she asked the question. "How?"

"Um... How what, baa-chan? I don't know..." Naruto started to say, he saw the look in her eyes.

"Naruto. Tell me," Tsunade demanded. "Tell me how the hell that demon escaped."

"... I let her out." Naruto admitted. He couldn't lie. Not to her.

Jiraiya's eyes widened at that. "You let it out! But how!"

"Found the jutsu in the same scroll I got Kage Bushin from," Naruto stated simply. He looked back at Tsunade, who still looked the same as before. That worried him, because he didn't know WHAT she was thinking.

Jiraiya crossed his arms over his chest, a pensive look on his face. He shouldn't really be surprised. Naruto learned fast and, while he wasn't an Uchiha, adapted techniques for his own use with ridiculous ease. He turned his gaze to regard the woman standing next to him, the demon, and wondered why it simply stood there with an amused look on her face. She was dangerous, that much he could feel, but she was not the bloodthirsty and mindless monster the villagers made it out to be. That was for sure.

Naruto looked on at Tsunade, who hadn't said or done anything since the beginning. And then her lips came into a half smile. "Baa-chan?" He asked, wincing for calling her that at the moment.

Tsunade didn't notice. Her focus was on the demon. "He got you to give your word, didn't he?"

That erased Kyuubi's smirk instantly, the demon glaring at the Hokage. "How do you know about that, human!" She demanded, for the first time emanating a small part of her aura.

The chakra was so violent and filled with bloodlust that Jiraiya reflexively tensed. The Kyuubi might not have been violent, but that didn't diminish its power in the slightest.

Naruto even moved back, feeling weird now that the shoe was on the other foot as it were.

Tsunade smirked, holding her ground. "You'd be surprised about what I know about demons and demon lords. For instance, demons such as yourselves are bound to honor any promise that you make. Once you give your word, you cannot take it away. Given what you did the last time you were here, the only reason why we aren't fighting and dying is because the brat made you promise before releasing you." She flashed a look to Naruto, dropping the smirk. "Which we'll talk about later."

Naruto nodded, actually glad that they wouldn't be talking about that yet.

The younger-looking woman, for she was by far older than any being in all of Konoha, glared daggers at Tsunade with a killer intent that would unnerve anyone. "Words have a way to be twisted, and promises made in the past take precedence to new ones. Remember that, old woman."

"I'll keep that in mind," Tsunade said, staring down the woman even though she was a bit unnerved because of that killer intent. _She's not a demon for nothing._ She said to herself.

Kyuubi reigned in her aura of terror, which had a diminished effect on the three present. Jiraiya and Tsunade were strong shinobi, even if affected they didn't react as badly as a normal ninja. Naruto, on the other hand, had the demon inside of him since he was a baby. It did affect him strongly, but he didn't wet his pants as the other villagers would and had done.

"So now that you are free, why are you here if you can't get your revenge?" Tsunade asked of Kyuubi

"My reasons are my own," the woman answered tightly. "I may not like this idiotic brat, but I'm staying with him for the time being."

"Don't worry baa-chan, if she wanted me dead, she wouldn't have brought me back from the dead..." Naruto stopped the moment he saw Tsunade's face at the words, her mask broken... And instantly realized he said the wrong thing.

Jiraiya wasn't taken aback by Naruto's slip of the tongue, he had come to know the blond kid pretty well, and waved it off in an attempt to try and cheer his old friend up. "The important thing is that you are here, Naruto."

Naruto looked down for a moment before hearing Tsunade's voice.

"Sasuke... Killed you?"

The tone she gave in that was deadly cold. Naruto looked up and nodded.

"Then he's left us with no choice," Tsunade said in the same cold tone. "I'm now authorizing the hunter-nin to kill him if they cannot capture him."

"...WHAT!" Naruto exclaimed, not believing what he was hearing.

Jiraiya sighed and shook his head. "The council will not go for that, Tsunade. Even after what he did, he's still the last Uchiha." Not that he wanted Sasuke to come back after trying to kill his student, but he had to be realistic.

"He's not the last Uchiha, remember?" Tsunade said narrowing her eyes. "Sasuke could have beaten Naruto without killing him. There's only one reason why he killed him."

Naruto blinked, not understanding why Tsunade thought Sasuke had a reason for killing him.

"So you're the one that instills those idiotic ideas about not killing into this brat's head?" Kyuubi asked derisively. "If it wasn't for me this brat would've died years ago."

"You don't have any place in this," Tsunade said angrily.

Kyuubi just smirked back, obviously provoking the fast-tempered woman. Jiraiya noticed this and turned to regard the Hokage for her reaction. He'd have to intervene if things got out of hand.

"Naruto. Do you remember Uchiha Itachi?" Tsunade asked, trying to ignore the Kyuubi for the time being.

Naruto shivered. "How could I forget? He and shark-face wanted to take me for the foxgirl..." He looked over to Kyuubi and then looked nervous. "... They are still going to be after me."

"Do you know how Itachi gained his power?" Naruto shook his head. "By murdering his best friend."

Naruto stood there for a few moment, until he finally got it. He didn't know whether to feel surprised that Sasuke thought of him as his best friend or pissed off that he killed him on purpose, especially since in the Uchiha's mind they were best friends.

"That would mean, however, that Sasuke has gained the Mangekyou," Jiraiya said as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"With him under Orochimaru's command without the Mangekyou was bad, with it is much worse," Tsunade said seriously. "Now imagine if that bastard takes Sasuke's body."

"He won't be able to take Sasuke's body for three years, at least," Jiraiya said. "It takes him at least that long to prepare for the technique and I know he had to transfer less than a week ago."

"All the more reason we need to resolve this, one way or another, before that time," Tsunade stated. "If he cannot be captured..."

"I'll bring him back."

Tsunade turned to Naruto who had a look in his eyes. "Naruto. He killed..."

"I WILL BRING SASUKE BACK DAMN IT!" The blonde Genin shouted at the Hokage. "I SWORE I WOULD BRING HIM BACK AND AS THE FUTURE HOKAGE, I WILL BRING HIM BACK!"

"And a fine job you did of it, brat," Kyuubi sarcastically said from the side.

"SHUT UP FOX!" Naruto snapped, not even caring about how the demon retaliated. This was one subject he wouldn't back away from.

Tsunade took the blonde's words in and thought things over a bit. _I already have problems with Fire Council as it is. Giving a death warrant for Sasuke now without 'enough evidence' will not be good for me. _She looked back to Naruto. _How can they favor the Uchiha even after what he did _She asked herself before she gave her decision. "... Alright. The order regarding Sasuke remains as it was. Captured alive."

"Yes!" Naruto exclaimed.

Jiraiya wasn't entirely happy with the decision, but he nodded in acceptance knowing it was for the best.

Kyuubi, on the other hand, snorted. "You people are too soft."

Tsunade stopped from saying something as she then turned her head and looked out the window. She caught sight of a small brown bird.

"Baa-chan?" Naruto blinked, not sure why she was paying attention to a bird. Even now she opened up the window and looked at the bird firmly. In an instant, it flew off.

"And just now you notice? Pathetic," the Kyuubi said derisively, causing Jiraiya to frown. The demon was downright trying to provoke them.

"Huh? Huh? Nani? What's going on?" Naruto asked, confused.

"We were watched by a summon," Tsunade sighed. "A very small one and almost indistinguishable... Except for the fact that that type of bird doesn't live in this area."

"Whatever..." Kyuubi said in exasperation and turned around. Jiraiya's eyes widened slightly as she did so as he noticed something. "Brat, let's get out of here. Now!"

"Huh? What now?" Naruto asked.

"I'm bored of these decrepit old humans. Show me where we're staying," the woman said

"Fine, though hope you can enjoy cramped quarters," Naruto said with a small grin as he really didn't have a large room.

After the door closed, Tsunade fell into her chair, exhausted. "A part of me still can't believe I am alive, even knowing what I know."

Once the demon and the young ninja left Jiraiya turned to regard the sitting Hokage. "Tsunade, I'm surprised you had nothing to say to the Kyuubi staying with Naruto. That and..." He trailed off, turning to regard the door they walked through just moments ago. "Did you notice?"

Truth be told, Tsunade knew the fox demon was staying with Naruto for some reason but it wasn't ill intent, and that was the only thing she knew at the moment. For now, she'd simply have to watch and be very careful. _Provoking her could cause her to 'bend' her promise, in which case, Konoha might suffer._ She then picked up on what Jiriaya said. "Notice what?"

Jiraiya frowned. "The Kyuubi isn't making any attempts to hide its identity. The ferocity of her features. Her fangs, her eyes. Even the way she tied back her hair. She has it tied back in nine braids."

Tsunade groaned. "It's as if it expects people to recognize what it is, just so they will be stupid enough to attack her and then she can murder them." She put a hand to her forehead. "As if a grudge against this village for sealing her would be enough to..." Her words trailed off as something hit her.

Jiraiya blinked. "Tsunade?"

"... We did something," Tsunade said in disgust, standing up. "We brought this upon ourselves. Or rather, they did."

"What are you talking about?" Jiraiya asked.

"I'm going to the Council's private records and I'm going to 'nicely' ask them to give me all of the sealed records from the time of the first Hokage to after the Kyuubi's attack." Tsunade said to Jiraiya. "Demon Lords like the Kyuubi do not tend to involve themselves in human affairs. They think of us as insignificant and lowly and destroy villages for fun, but the attack on Konoha was too focused. The only time they do get as involved, is if a human is stupid enough to piss them off."

"You do have a point there. Kyuubi was known to attack villages before. But why the interest in Konoha now that it's free again?" The old hermit asked. "I'll see what I can dig out about it, too."

"Good, and when you are done with that you better get to training Naruto," Tsunade said to Jiriaya. _He's going to need it._

----

The bird that Tsunade had showed a way was finished telling its story to its master, or rather mistress.

"You can go home now," Temari said softly as her summon left her in a puff of smoke. Summoning was a Jounin technique, and even though she could summon, it wasn't she could summon something like that giant frog that Naruto could. She only had a contract with a desert sparrow, a ferret and Kamatari. The first two she used for gathering information, and they were useful. Kamatari, the sickle weasel, she summoned for her most devastating move to date, which she used against that female Sound-nin.

And what she had been told, well that just blew her mind. Yet it also made sense, a lot of sense, as to why Gaara had changed ever since he was defeated by the Konoha Genin.

_Who would have ever thought he'd be like my brother?_ Temari mused.

For now though, she decided to keep this information to herself, less Gaara decided he wanted to hunt down Sasuke himself.

_Though if we ever find you, Uchiha, I can't say we'll be as merciful as your ex-Leaf-nin comrades._ Temari promised. The Uchiha had killed someone that had helped her poor brother.

She would NOT forget that.

**To Be Continued...**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer:** Neither I nor my co author own Naruto. There's nothing more to say than that. This story is a collaboration effort between me and Drakuzz. For those of you that have read our first collaboration Twin Troubles, we hope you'll come enjoy this tale. For those of you that haven't, we also hope you enjoy this as well._

**Diverging Paths  
****By David Knight and Drakuzz**

**Chapter Two: The First Night**

Sasuke was never so glad for survival training, if only for the fact he knew what he could and couldn't eat. A hand full of edible berries was better than nothing. Rest unfortunately was something he didn't have the luxury of taking as he hid in the trees and waited for Sound ninja patrols to leave. Only then did he continue to move forward.

_I'm going to need to figure out how to even get rest. I don't think I can make it all the way out of this country without sleep._ He had been without sleep for two days and it didn't look like he'd be getting any anytime soon, but ninja were still only human.

_And when you are tired, you make mistakes,_ Sasuke knew from experience.

He was a highly-skilled ninja, however, and so it wouldn't be easy for him to be spotted even if they were actively looking for him here. The number of patrols spoke otherwise for it was obvious they didn't think he was here. It worked to his advantage.

He'd run across some normal people as well, yet ignored most of them as they were travelers. The need to eat something warm and rest would force him to approach one such group, though.

It was becoming dark and he realized now would be his best time for any rest. _Orochimaru will wait until dawn to send his forces out looking for me at the earliest. Now's as good a time as any._ He just hoped his need for rest and food wouldn't be his undoing.

As he jumped through the trees he saw the familiar light in the distance that belonged to a fire. An obvious campsite.

He scouted the area, making sure not to see anyone with any Sound markings. After finding none, he leapt down from the trees but not right into the camp. Rather he'd walk out of the forest and then make his way there.

The fire turned out to be rather small, and the aroma of cooked rabbit assaulted his nostrils, making his stomach protest the lack of nourishment.

He kept on his guard as he approached the campsite.

As he approached he could see the sole occupant of the camp was a girl around his age, who didn't give any outward signs of knowing he was there as she cooked the rabbit. The angle didn't allow him to see much of the girl yet.

"Excuse me."

The girl stiffened visibly and she turned over her shoulder nervously, ineffectually trying to appear calm. "W-who is it?"

Sasuke stifled a chuckle. _She seems timid, but looks can be deceiving._ "Don't worry. I don't bite. Mind if I sit down?"

When she saw the newcomer was a boy instead of one of the Sound nin that patrolled these forests she relaxed slightly. While he could still be dangerous he wasn't a direct danger like those would be. "... Yeah..."

Sasuke took a seat down by the fire and looked at the rabbit. "I don't suppose you have more than just that?"

The girl, who Sasuke could now see had long black hair and eyes, shook her head meekly. "It's all I could find. Sorry."

"Damn." Sasuke groaned, his stomach ended up protesting loudly. ... Unbelievable.

The girl lowered her head miserably. She hadn't had a decent meal for days, yet she couldn't deny this stranger to share the food. It looked as if he wasn't any better off than she was.

"I don't want to take it like this," Sasuke said to her. He didn't want pity. Not after what he did.

"You need it," she replied, still not looking directly at him. "Tomorrow we can search for something more, but you need to eat something."

Sasuke looked at her for a bit before giving his answer. "We split it. I'll help you find something at dawn to repay you, but after that I need to leave."

She finally looked up from the fire and stared at him. "You're a missing nin, aren't you?"

Sasuke blinked but then looked down. "Yes."

The girl nodded in understanding, still nervous but at least now with the knowledge this guy probably wouldn't bother with her. Or at least she hoped he didn't.

The meat was taken and split and both of them ate their half. Sasuke however didn't want to know this girl's name. He didn't want to get to know her. He didn't deserve to. Didn't need to.

The girl herself didn't ask for his name. If she was found by a group looking for this ninja she wouldn't be lying if she didn't know his name. Bad enough it was that she knew what he looked like.

----

Naruto sat on his bed thinking things over. The Kyuubi, the fight with Sasuke... _Sakura..._ he sighed. He hadn't even seen the pink haired Genin yet. He wasn't sure he wanted to. Not after what happened now. He failed in his promise. _For now anyway. I'll get Sasuke-bastard back... Somehow._

Incredibly enough they hadn't run into any of Naruto's friends on their way to his apartment, which somehow suited him just fine for the moment. He had to come up with an excuse for the new companion he had, who seemed reluctant to leave him alone.

"I can't believe you actually live in this dump, brat," the Kyuubi complained as she walked in from the bathroom, clad in one of his black t-shirts and a pair of shorts.

"Its the only place I could get," Naruto said simply. "Consider how just about every adult in this village either hates me or wants to kill me."

"I wonder why..." The Kyuubi asked with a knowing smirk as she approached and sat next to Naruto.

"Yeah well I don't have a problem living here, so if you are going to stay with me, deal with it," Naruto returned, not looking at her. "Unless of course you got ideas that don't involve killing someone to get a new house."

The woman snorted and laid back, her legs dangling to touch the floor. "Is this what you do with your pathetic life? Play at being a ninja in a village that you're hated?"

"I always wondered why they hated me, and when I found out I had you I thought I knew why. 'Cept it's not that. People just don't hate demons. They hate anything they see as different from them. It sucks that there are a lot of stupid people in the world, but there's also some good, decent people." Naruto said before getting up and looking Kyuubi in the eyes fiercely. "And I don't play. I am a ninja."

She rolled her eyes and sat up once more, pointing at his face with her finger. "I've got news for you, brat. You're just a kid and you only play at being ninja. That idiot that sealed me inside of you was a ninja. Those two decrepit humans today are ninjas. The one-eyed one is a ninja. The rest are all weaklings." She smirked nastily. "And so are you, until you stop being a kid."

"And what makes someone a ninja to you, fox?" Naruto asked.

The Kyuubi opened her mouth to answer... But closed it as a thoughtful look crossed her features. After a moment of silence she smirked, settling for an answer that would piss him off. "I'll tell you when you're older and can understand, brat."

Naruto let out a groan as he fell back to his bed. Laying back something came to his mind, "Do demons know love?"

The woman raised an eyebrow and turned to regard the blond kid. "You humans really are full of yourselves. Do you really think you're the only ones capable of positive emotions?"

"Hey all I know about demons is what stupid humans say about them," Naruto defended himself. "... That and the fact that Gaara's has nearly driven him insane, unable to sleep, and when ever it does come out, all it wants to do is kill. So forgive me for being misinformed."

"Gaara's?" Kyuubi asked curiously.

"Sand-nin that nearly killed Sakura, Sasuke, Lee and me at different occasions. I used your power to beat him and Shukakku."

The woman's eyes widened in surprise. "Shukakku is also trapped inside a human?" She burst out laughing at that. "I told that idiot he should grow up and stop playing around with humans."

Naruto blinked, never thinking he'd ever see the demon laugh... Well in a way that wasn't evil. It was very weird. "... You know it?"

"Of course I know it," the Kyuubi said as she continued to chuckle. "Hard not to when a couple of centuries ago he tried to claim me as his mate." She waved it off and turned to Naruto again. "So you say he's trapped inside a human from the country of Sand?"

"Yeah. Gaara's actually here in the village since we saw his sister back in the hospital." Naruto said.

The woman nodded thoughtfully. She turned to regard Naruto carefully, eyeing him critically with the unnerving gaze only her slitted red eyes were capable of.

"Um... What are you thinking of doing... Kyuubi?" Naruto said, using her proper name as not wanting to say something that going cause something bad.

"I taking a good look at the one that held me prisoner for so long," she answered evenly, clearly unimpressed. "You're short. And you don't seem all that strong."

Naruto frowned. "Yeah well didn't have much choice you know. Neither did Gaara. He's had it worse in some ways, his own father stuffing the squirrel in him and he tried to kill him on several occasions."

"Idiotic humans," Kyuubi muttered under her breath and shook her head. She continued to look at Naruto, noticing all the changes her presence inside of him brought. He was short, but that was mostly due to him not having his growth spurt yet. The way chakra circulated in his body seemed normal for a human at first glance, yet she could tell his inner coils were far from normal.

Naruto was going to ask again what she was doing when he heard a knock at his door. "Wonder who that is," he mused as he got off his bed and went to the door. He didn't see anyone but turned his head to the side and found someone. A smile came on his face. "Hinata."

"N-Naruto-kun," the shy Hyugga fidgeted as she looked at the blonde. "You are okay?"

"Yeah well I am still alive," He laughed, though maybe he shouldn't have considering he did die. _I got REALLY lucky._

The Kyuubi rolled her eyes and felt like ignoring Naruto's stuttering girlfriend, but she was curious as to who it could be. It didn't help her plans to have people be nice to the brat. She stood up from the bed and walked behind blond kid to take a look. When she saw the white pupils she saw red...

The killer intent she generated put to shame the one released in front of the Hokage that afternoon, all directed at Hinata over Naruto's head.

Hinata fell back in a terror while Naruto felt it. "K-Kaguya!" He stared at her, focusing that killer intent at Hinata who was on the ground, her heart racing and feeling faint. He turned to the Kyuubi. "Kaguya stop it! You're hurting her!"

The Kyuubi showed no sign of stopping, even when Naruto was in her face.

Deep in his heart, Naruto felt anger and rage like never before. The fox was hurting the first person his own age that showed him kindness. She was trying to scare into death perhaps the kindest person in all of Konoha... And for what?

He had enough. Consequences be damned.

"I SAID STOP!" Naruto roared as hit the Kyuubi right in the face with everything he had.

The poor Hyuga girl felt as if the pressure of the ocean was lifted from her, the killer intent no longer threatening to squeeze the life out of her.

The Kyuubi didn't even take a step back, in fact she hardly seemed to feel the blow as it only managed to move her head slightly to the side. Said punch did, however, snap her out of her rage enough to regain her bearings. She turned her red eyes to stare directly into Naruto's blue orbs over his fist.

"What the hell is your problem?" Naruto said in a tone the Kyuubi didn't think he had. "Hinata is the kindest, gentlest person in the entire village. And yet you unleash a damn killing intent on her that should probably be only reserved for the Snake bastard! What the hell did she ever do to you to deserve that!"

When the demon answered it was a in a voice so guttural and full of malice that Naruto had no trouble remembering the Kyuubi was indeed a demon. "She was born."

Naruto almost took a step back, but then remembered exactly what he was doing and held his ground. "And what the hell is that supposed to mean, fox?"

The woman smirked nastily as she forcibly removed Naruto's fist from her face, which didn't show any sign of being hit. "Do you really want me to answer with your girlfriend sitting there, brat?"

Naruto turned around and saw Hinata who was now staring at Kyuubi with wide eyes. "Hinata! Are you alright?" He asked her as he came to her, though knowing that was a really stupid question.

"What... Is she?" Hinata gasped, feeling more afraid than ever in her short life.

"A very scary woman," Naruto sighed.

"Naruto-kun, she isn't a woman… She's chakra!" Hinata said to him.

Naruto blinked then looked at her and saw that Hinata had activated her Byakugan. "... Oh crap..."

The Kyuubi continued to smirk as she stood there over the two kids, reveling in the sense of fear emanating from the Hyuga. She was still angered nearly beyond reason, but her promise to Naruto stopped her from harming Hinata for now. _For now_, she reminded herself. "You could say I'm kind of the brat's... Guardian..."

"Yeah, my dear beloved aunt," Naruto said with sarcasm though an idea sparked to his mind. _Oh wow! That's perfect!_ He hid his smile though as there was still this crisis to take care of.

The demon rolled her eyes at that. Only a kid could come up with something that inane. Though in fact it was so simple it could actually work.

"But... Naruto-kun..." Hinata blinked. "Aren't you an orphan?"

"Well… Yeah. But you see, Aunty Kaguya made a mistake in a jutsu before I was born and she was in a coma for over a decade. She kinda just woke up. And the looking like chakra, its cause of her jutsu. Tsunade-baba is helping her out. But she's a bit irritable. We were having a fight and I'm sorry you got involved."

Hinata took all of this in, though some parts still felt off, she decided to accept it, for not at least. Naruto-kun was telling her everything was okay.

The Kyuubi stared at Naruto for a moment. How could he come up with such an idiotic story? And how the hell did the stupid girl buy it? "... Who are you calling irritable, brat?" She demanded.

"But you are irritable, Aunty Kaguya," Naruto smirked.

The woman's eyebrow twitched. "You are seriously trying your luck, brat."

"I... Think I better be going home," Hinata said getting up. "You and your Aunt seem to still have... Issues."

"Yeah, better get going but I'm glad you came, Hinata," Naruto said with a smile, getting the Hyuuga heir to blush.

"T-take care of yourself, Naruto-kun," she said as she turned and bowed to Kyuubi. "Good night, Uzumaki-san." Then left the two of them alone outside, very nearly running down the hall and out of sight.

The demon snorted at being called that and turned to glare at Naruto. "Aunty Kaguya?"

"Well sooner or later people are going to notice I got an older woman living in my apartment," Naruto returned. "People thinking you're my aunt makes sense. At least more sense than any other ideas I had to explain why an older woman would be living with a twelve year old."

"And didn't it occur to you that people will know who I am? That girl saw my true nature. Others of her clan will too, and they will know," the woman said as she walked back into the apartment.

Naruto walked back into the apartment and closed the door. "'You sure you want me to tell you with your girlfriend present'. Your words, remember? I didn't want Hinata around to hear it. So how about you tell me now."

The woman turned around to regard the kid. "Let's just say I have my reasons for hating that clan. In fact I attacked this stupid village because of them."

Naruto blinked repeatedly several times before he finally said something. "... Damn..."

The demon pursed her lips for a moment and shrugged, trying to dismiss it for now. "What do you have to eat here?"

"Instant ramen," Naruto said simply.

"... I'm talking about real food, brat," the Kyuubi said seriously.

"Ramen is the best food you'll ever eat! Besides, that's all I have," Naruto said to her seriously. "I don't have much cash, and every place I went for food people tried charging me more than anyone else. Only thing that I got to eat at a low price was Ichraiku's Ramen and so I stuck with it. Better than starving."

The woman's animalistic eyes narrowed dangerously. "And you've done nothing against them? You've taken it all like a wimp?"

"Five year old child asking old woman to lower her price and then she has four large men beat the hell out of me until shinobi come and they disperse. And then they do jack while I have to pick myself up to go home with nothing. What the hell do you think I could do back then, fox?" Naruto questioned.

"And what about now?" The Kyuubi asked with a sneer.

Naruto stopped from saying anything. Sure, he could do something now, but using force wasn't in him. "Now if I do it, they'll just have their excuse about me being a monster."

"That's just the thing, brat," the Kyuubi said with a nasty smirk as she leaned down to stare him in the eye. "You aren't a monster. What you are, is an idiot for letting them treat you they way they do."

"And how do you suggest I take care of them in a way that doesn't cause me grief from an angry mob?" Naruto questioned the demon.

"I'd say kill them all," the Kyuubi said with an indifferent shrug of her shoulders. "But I guess a weakling like you wouldn't like that."

Naruto groaned as he sat back on his bed. "If you want food Aunty, why don't you take my money, go to the store and buy it yourself?"

The demon turned to regard Naruto with a raised eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

"Seriously," Naruto said throwing his pouch with money inside to her. _Though I am not letting her have all my money. _"With the way you act, even if you aren't going to kill them, they don't know that." A small smirk came on his face. "Sides, who would be stupid enough to try to stiff you?"

The woman caught the pouch and rolled her eyes. "I'll be back later." And in so saying she left, clad in the same t-shirt and shorts that belonged to Naruto, which on her where a little too small. Being a demon she had no sense of human modesty.

Naruto let out a smirk, not having any pity really for those shopkeepers considering the fact that Kyuubi wouldn't kill them.

Then he thought about what the fox said to him about the Hyuugas. _Tell Baa-chan in the morning._

----

Dinner wasn't very succulent; the rabbit didn't have a lot of meat ad it had to be split in half. But for two hungry teenagers it was heaven.

The evening was cold and humid, and it didn't seem like the girl was prepared for the weather.

Sasuke didn't pay the elements much mind at the moment. He got up and looked at the girl. "I'll be back in a little while. Just going to make a round."

The girl didn't say a thing as Sasuke jumped into the trees and started scouting around, though he was also placing traps at some points, just so that when he slept, he would at least have warning if someone got too close.

_So this is how it will be. Life as a missing nin._ Sasuke thought as he set another trap up, attaching it to a tree branch. Never able to truly rest, always on the move. _I will never have the time to become stronger this way. I need to find a place where I can be safe._ The only option he had was heading to the hidden village of Cloud and hoping for the best. _Hoping for the best isn't practical, though. _

He froze when he heard familiar sounds. Feet hitting branches. He turned and kept his position secret but soon figured out where they were heading.

The campsite.

Just as the girl, who still remained nameless to the missing nin from the Leaf, didn't notice his arrival hours ago she didn't notice the arrivals of several more ninja as they hid in the bushes. She cleaned her greasy hands on a dirty cloth and did her best to prepare for the night. It seemed like it would be even colder than the previous evening. With a shudder as the wind picked up she laid down close to the fire, doing her best to curl into a tight ball and keep as warm as possible.

Suddenly a hand clamped around her mouth and then felt a blade at her neck. "Well, well, well. What we got here? Some little girl trespassing on our lands." The one holding her sounded lustful. "And so young, too."

Her eyes snapped open in frightened shock, yet she made no sudden moves as she felt the cold steel touch her sensitive skin. She hadn't even closed her eyes for a couple of seconds and the ninja she was with had left minutes ago. How was this possible?

One of the ninja observed the sight and saw two piles. "You shared a meal with someone. Who was it?" The girl couldn't say anything, mainly because her mouth was being covered. "Jiro, take your hand off the girl."

"But I want to have her. She's on our land, she should pay a toll," the ninja holding the girl hostage said.

"Let go now. Of her mouth, that is," the ninja said and finally saw it happen. He looked at the girl. "So tell me, who was here with you?"

"It was a man. He was just passing by," the girl answered in a shaky voice.

It was the truth. Sasuke was indeed a man, even if he was very young.

"Tell us what he looks like."

"Dark hair. Short. He seemed like a traveler," the girl replied, starting to squirm uncomfortably but stopping as the knife at her throat was held a little tighter against it.

"She isn't lying," the ninja concluded after some thought.

"So can I have her?" The one holding the knife to her throat asked.

A snicker was heard through the group. "Feel free."

The girl felt herself forced down to the ground on her back, the knife still at her throat while her assailant had his free hand going to places that it shouldn't.

"No!" She cried desperately, wanting to fight them off but frozen by fear at her own powerlessness and the knife at her throat. She should've listened to her mother. She should've...

And then suddenly blood splattered over her. Looking up, she saw the one who had had a knife to her throat had now had a kunai in his head. He fell lifelessly to the ground, on top of her.

"AHHHHH!" She cried in horror. She'd seen dead bodies before, but had never seen somebody actually get killed like that.

"What the...?" One of the other ninja cried as he turned all around, looking for the one that threw that kunai with narrowed eyes.

Shuriken flew in from one side causing the ninja to fall backwards to avoid the throwing stars, only to feel something placed on his head from the shadows. "What is..."

The sound of an explosion as well as a head blowing up filled the area. Brain, blood and skull splattered everywhere.

"There you are!" One of the Sound nin cried and did a series of seals. Suddenly the branch Sasuke was standing on sprouted vines.

Sasuke saw it. _Thanks for the technique._ He then went about doing a series of seals after using his kunai to cut through the vines that came at him. He used the same move that was used on him to wrap around that Sound nin. Then he went about using another set of seals, building up his chakra and letting loose fire from his mouth, engulfing the Sound nin.

The girl, who had moved away in fright from the vicious fight, was picked up by the back of her shirt and cried out in alarm when she felt a kunai cut lightly against her throat. "You there! Don't you dare move or she dies!"

"After seeing how you handled that girl, I can't believe I wanted to side with Sound. I truly would become less than Itachi." Sasuke's voice said, coming ever closer from the shadows.

The Sound nin smirked as he recognized the boy. "So... You are the Uchiha... Orochimaru-sama has been looking everywhere for you."

"Too bad I don't have any intention of joining him," Sasuke said coming out of the shadows. "I'll give you a chance. Let the girl go or you die."

"I think not," the ninja answered and tightened his hold on the girl, making her whimper. "Don't move or she dies."

"I gave you a chance," Sasuke said, though now there was a smirk on his face. "Tell me, do you know why Orochimaru wants me so badly?"

"For your bloodline limit."

"Right... But also in hopes to gain this," Sasuke said as he shifted his eyes to something he had not used before but felt he needed to practice.

And he knew just what to use.

In the span of a second the girl had gone from having a kunai to her throat to her assailant dropping dead, his eyes wide with fright and shock, his heart having stopped.

And looking forward she saw Sasuke fall to his knees, breathing heavily. "... Kami-sama...I didn't think... It'd drain that much chakra..."

The girl looked from the drained boy to the corpses of the Sound nin that surrounded them, all killed in various grotesque ways, and back at Sasuke. She couldn't believe the same boy that shared that rabbit with her and had just saved her life had done so in such... In such a manner... Was capable of such cruelty. "... Who are you?" She asked in disbelief.

Sasuke looked up at her, seeing her face and for a moment felt like he was seeing Sakura. It passed and then he gave his answer. "I am a ninja."

She hesitated for a moment, afraid to get closer to the boy, before walking next to him to support part of his weight. He did save her life from those Sound nin. "I... Thank you..."

"Turn away for a moment," Sasuke said to her but she didn't understand. "Turn away. I have to do something now and you don't need to see it."

"... Yes..." She agreed reluctantly and turned her gaze away, yet she still supported his body.

Sasuke pulled out his kunai and looked at the bodies that still had heads. He stabbed the corpses right into the eyes, ruining them beyond recollection. He then moved away with the girl a distance and looked at the body of the one that he had killed with his advanced Sharingan. Gathering only a little amount of chakra he blew and made a small fire, one that took hold on the last corpse and would burn him to ashes.

"We need to leave, now. It's not safe here," Sasuke said to her.

"But you are weakened... And it's still so dark..." She protested.

"Orochimaru will be sending every last nin he has to find me come dawn," Sasuke said to her as he kept his normal Sharingan on. "My eyes will be able to see movement even in the dark. We need to find another place to be now."

At the mention of that name the girl's face lost all of its color. "Orochimaru!"

"Now you understand why we have to leave," Sasuke said to her seriously.

She nodded shakily. "Just... Let me pick my bag, please." In so saying she rushed to the middle of the camp and picked up a small bag, which she slung over her shoulder before turning to him as if her life depended on him. It did.

"Do you have any place we can go?" Sasuke asked her, disliking that his hopes for survival were now hinged upon this innocent girl.

"My village is a week's walk from here," she answered.

Sasuke let his head drop for a moment before looking back to her. "Is it still within Sound territory or outside?"

"Two days beyond the border," she answered and looked around nervously, as if expecting the legendary Orochimaru himself to drop from the shadows of the trees that very moment.

"Good. At least I can be out of Sound." Sasuke said before looking down. "... I'm sorry to have dragged you into my problems. I wasn't expecting this to happen."

"You saved my life," the girl said truthfully. "I'm sorry they found you because of me."

Sasuke couldn't say anything to that. Instead he gave her something she deserved to know now. His name. "Uchiha Sasuke."

"Tokoro Asuka," she replied.

Sasuke nodded and using his Sharingan was able to tell between trees and movement. With that info, they took the only path they could.

North.

---

The door to Naruto's apartment opened and the Kyuubi walked in, carrying a paper bag in her arms. She closed the door behind herself and walked over to the table to place it down, all the time a satisfied smirk on her face.

"Should I even ask?" Naruto asked from his bed, not even trying to get up?

"An idiot tried to charge me more than the others when I said this was for you and me," the demon explained, still that satisfied smirk on her features as she took out the food. Food that Naruto recognized as meat and vegetables. Meat was expensive.

Naruto blinked when he saw that. He hardly ever tasted meat. "Unbelievable..." The former demon container said in shock.

The woman snorted. "You idiotic brat. If you stood up for yourself you'd eat like this everyday."

Naruto groaned, thinking the demon was totally missing the point the part of the logic that involved him. "So, any left-over cash?"

"A little," the demon answered and threw the pouch back at him.

Naruto was actually surprised, though when he saw how little, he realized he was right not to give the Kyuubi all of his money.

The demon looked at Naruto and narrowed her eyes. "What are you looking so relieved for?"

"Nothing," Naruto said as if it was nothing. Naruto could see the demon didn't look very intimidating as a human size-wise. She wasn't very tall, in fact she was only a head taller than he was, and he was very short even for his age. She didn't have the muscles of a fighter. The long nails and slitted pupils did give her an animalistic look, yet that was only if you looked closely. But she could be scary because of her demeanor.

He heard a knock at the door and blinked. "Two people at my door in the same day that aren't shouting curses at me... Has to be a record."

Kyuubi blinked at that and shrugged. _Humans..._

Naruto went to the door and opened it... And froze entirely. In fact he almost shut the door in the person's face, in hopes that she wouldn't have seen him... But then again if he did that, he'd not only be a true coward, he'd invoke a wrath that could be as deadly as the fox demon's.

"Hello... Naruto..." A pink-haired girl said with a small smile. A pink-haired girl that just so happened to be his teammate, Haruno Sakura.

"S-Sakura-chan..." Naruto said as if he was a man soon to be expecting a death sentence. Here was the one person he had been trying to avoid since he got back.

Sakura noticed the nervousness, which she had been expecting in fact, and her smile widened. She'd heard what happened in the mission from the others. She also knew from the others, and overheard from Tsunade, just how hard Naruto tried to bring Sasuke back to her. "I heard about the mission."

"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan. I'm sorry I couldn't bring him back," Naruto sighed. "But, I'll get him back. I'll bring Sasuke back next time. I promised you I'd bring him back to the village and I'm going to keep that promise!"

Sakura's smile almost cracked at the vehemence in Naruto's promise. At the belief in his voice that he would indeed bring Sasuke back. "Naruto... I..." She nodded. "I trust you. But when the time comes, you won't be alone at it. I'll pull my own weight now, too," she said with the same determination.

Naruto was left speechless. "Sakura-chan..."

Sakura was about to say more, to explain what she meant, when she saw the Kyuubi lazily drape an arm around Naruto's shoulders and stare at her over his shoulder. "And who is this girl, brat?" The Haruno girl shuddered slightly, not really knowing why, as she was stared at by the woman.

"That's Sakura, my teammate and friend, Aunty Kaguya," Naruto said with a smile.

"Aunty?" Sakura asked with wide eyes. She didn't know Naruto had any living relatives.

"Yeah. Who knew?" Naruto shrugged. "Turns up on my doorstep literally. She can be so irritable that she has to be family."

The demon's eyes narrowed at that and she bopped the blond on the head with her fist. Not hard enough to knock him out, but enough for it to bruise. Sakura winced in sympathy at that and took a step away from the now arguing relatives.

"Ouch! Have heart, will you Aunty?" Naruto whined.

"Stop your whining! I didn't hit you that hard!" Kyuubi growled out.

Naruto groaned as he looked back to Sakura. "Sorry about that. We tend to argue a bit." He had a smile on his face. "Don't worry. I'll get him back, Sakura-chan. Leave it to me."

"And as I said, when you do you won't be alone, Naruto," Sakura said and smiled. "I'll train and become strong too. We'll get him back."

"Yeah. We'll get him back," Naruto said, though in the back of his mind, wondered how Sakura was going to train hard enough be of a real help. He liked her, A LOT, but he wasn't about to put her in harms way or in a position that he was going to need to protect her when he needed to fight. "So... What are you going to do for training?" He was curious after all.

"That I'll take care of myself. Don't worry. Next time I'll pull my own weight," the pink-haired ninja said with a smile, hiding her sadness at the fact Sasuke was lost to them for now.

By the side, Kyuubi snorted. "Weaklings."

Sakura's eyes widened slightly and she turned to regard Naruto's aunt with a look of surprise. She didn't expect someone from his family to treat him and her with that disdain.

"Don't mind her. So far the only ones she considers real ninjas are ero-sannin, baa-chan and Kakashi-sensei."

Kyuubi stared incredulously at the dismissive way Naruto spoke to Sakura about her. "You have a lot of nerve, brat." It was the very same reason why she liked him the first time they met, when he demanded she lend him her chakra. And it seemed even now, when she could rip his head off, not that she could because of her promises, he still had the same guts around her.

"That's what people have been telling me for years," Naruto replied, feeling someone used to this already... And that was a little scary.

Sakura rolled her eyes at the display and decided to take her leave. She had to request Tsunade to take her in as her apprentice, after all. "Well, I should get going now. It's nice to see you weren't badly hurt, Naruto."

"Thanks, Sakura-chan. See ya later."

Sakura bowed to Kyuubi. "It was nice meeting you," she said politely, to which the demon snorted. She then waved to Naruto and left, confidence in her stride as she headed for the Hokage tower

Naruto smiled before turning back to the Kyuubi. "So… Ummm, assuming you are cooking then?"

The demon gave her former vessel a blank stare.

----

Kabuto never thought he'd dread having to come into his master's chambers. Oh sure, he had been a bit nervous at times, after all who would not be.

But this was news he _knew_ Orochimaru-sama would _**not**_ be pleased with.

After all, even if he'd moved into a new vessel the wanted one had escaped.

He went to the door and waited until he saw the eyes look at him. His master was still heavily bandaged, as he had only just moved into his new vessel.

"What news do you bring me, Kabuto?" The bandaged man asked, already knowing in advance that it wasn't good.

"Orochimaru-sama, I had thought to bring you good news when I first received reports that Uchiha Sasuke had been spotted in our territory. Though we lost him, we hoped he would still be on his way," Kabuto began. "However... This morning I was informed one of our four man squads was utterly decimated."

Orochimaru rubbed his chin with a hand. "So Sasuke has found it in himself to try and escape us, has he?"

"But it does not make any sense," Kabuto said as it was a confusing situation. "If he had truly decided not to join you why even enter our territory? Also, all of the bodies had their eyes sliced through... Those that had heads at least."

"Is that so?" Orochimaru asked in interest. "As to why cross our territory. He might want to avoid us, but after defecting from the Leaf he can't go back. Not after betraying them like that."

"True, but where can he go?" Kabuto asked in earnest. "Past our territory is a long stretch of land before getting close to Hidden Cloud and he would need a boat to reach Hidden Mist. All of the other Hidden Villages are in the opposite direction."

"Perhaps he isn't going to a hidden village," Orochimaru suggested and his eyes wrinkled in amusement. He had three years before he could actually take Sasuke's body. Chasing after the boy for that period of time would prove entertaining.

"Perhaps. What do you want to do, Orochimaru-sama?" Kabuto asked, ready to follow out his orders.

"Send my nin after him, but if he manages to escape our territory have hunter nin follow him from a distance and keep track of his movements," Orochimaru commanded. "Let us see how resourceful Uchiha Sasuke really is."

Kabuto bowed. "As you command, Orochimaru-sama."

**To Be Continued...**


	3. Chapter 3

_**Disclaimer:** Neither I nor my co author own Naruto. There's nothing more to say than that. This story is a collaboration effort between me and Drakuzz. For those of you that have read our first collaboration Twin Troubles, we hope you'll come enjoy this tale. For those of you that haven't, we also hope you enjoy this as well. Also just to let you know, we are including a Day system, just to keep a chronological track on things. Starting now, we're starting from the first day after Sasuke left Konoha._

**Diverging Paths**

**By David Knight and Drakuzz**

**Chapter Three: The Paths They Take**

**Day 2**

Sasuke woke up to the first rays of dawn. He was lucky to find a formation of rocks that, with the right foliage, could be made to look natural. It helped in allowing him and Asuka to get some much-needed sleep. Moving over to her he tapped the girl's shoulder. "Up. It's morning."

The girl mumbled something in her sleep and curled tighter into a ball, the previous day's strenuous pace obviously having taken a toll on her.

"Oi! Wake up!" Sasuke said trying to get her up.

"Uh... What?" Asuka asked sleepily as she blearily opened her eyes, her body feeling heavy and sore.

"We are moving now," Sasuke said filling up his kunai and shuriken holders using the equipment that he had taken from the Sound-nin he killed last night.

"So early?" Asuka asked as she rubbed her eyes, still feeling as if she had just gotten to sleep a few minutes ago.

"Orochimaru has probably sent out his nin in force by now," Sasuke said as he activated his Sharingan. He was not at a hundred percent and hadn't had a full night's sleep, but he was a hell of a lot better than after his fight with Naruto and that was enough for him.

Orochimaru's name was enough to fully awaken Asuka, as she sat up and looked all around nervously. "Do we need to start moving again?"

"If I could move without rest I'd do it," Sasuke said sternly. "I'm not about to let him take me now that I..." He trailed off then, no need to say troubling things in front of her.

Asuka nodded, understanding without needing him to elaborate, and stood up. She took only a moment to pick up her stuff before being ready for departure, so abrupt was their arrival to this camping site last night.

Before they left Sasuke's mouthed, "You know you are stupid."

"Huh?" She asked intelligently, not really understanding why Sasuke would say that about her.

"You can't fight, you are terrified of even the snake's name," Sasuke said, his red eyes turning to look at her with absolute seriousness. "What possible reason could you have for coming into this without a nin escort or even a body guard?"

Asuka looked down at her feet, unable to meet Sasuke's eyes. "My grandmother... She's sick..."

"That still does not answer the question. Why are you here of all places to be if she's sick?"

"The illness she suffers from... It's not normal. The only known cure requires a special broth to be prepared, and the ingredients are hard to get," Asuka explained as she adjusted her back to her side carefully, as if it was precious to her. "It requires herbs that only grow in certain places."

"Che," Sasuke snorted. "Do you think you are doing anyone any favors if you get killed?"

The girl fidgeted nervously at that. "But if I do nothing... My grandmother will just die..."

"And what happens when you die? That makes two people dead," Sasuke said. "People die. That's how life is."

Asuka lowered her head, but then raised it and met Sasuke's own with a determined look in her eyes. "But I can make a difference. I can keep her alive."

"You don't even know where to look, other than its somewhere here in Sound, do you?" Sasuke said to her. "I don't have time to be looking for something that doesn't concern me."

The girl looked at Sasuke with a confident smile. "I already found all the herbs but one."

Sasuke was about to say something offensive but then saw something that made his eyes go wide. In the trees. "Itachi?!" His hand went to his holster and he threw a kunai at his brother... Only for it to go right through him, as if he was a ghost.

'Itachi' smirked. _"You're just like me, little brother. Caring about nothing but yourself and your own ambitions."_

"Shut up! I am nothing like you, you bastard!" Sasuke snapped.

"What?" Asuka asked in alarm and turned to regard... Nothing?! "Sasuke... What are you...?"

"What! Can't you see..." Sasuke trailed off as he turned to Asuka and back and found nothing. "But... But he was right there!"

"Who?" Asuka asked, now truly confused and afraid. Was Sasuke spotting things she couldn't see because he was a ninja?

Sasuke put his hand to his head. "... Forget it. It's nothing."

Asuka nodded, still confused but trusting in the ninja that saved her life hours ago.

"... Do you have any specific idea of where to search for that last herb?"

"It grows in dark places with running water. I was going to search for a cave or such other place," Asuka admitted, though it sounded weak. She had no idea where she was going to find such a place.

Sasuke thought it over for a bit. "There was a stream about half a mile due west. It was carrying up north. We follow it, we may find what you are looking for."

Asuka looked at Sasuke hopefully. "You're going to help me?" She thought Sasuke would've pressed for them to escape.

"Let's hurry," Sasuke said simply. He wasn't Itachi, but he wasn't going to spend his entire time searching for this herb. Survival was still at the top of his list.

"Yes," the girl said, extremely thankful and even running a little faster, her goal now back in her sight.

---

Naruto frowned as he knew he had an unwelcome guest. "Are you going to follow me everywhere I go, Aunty?"

Kyuubi smirked nastily as she walked next to Naruto down a street in Konoha, she so loved annoying the hell out of the kid. "I told you before, brat. You're stuck with me."

"So what are you going to do then when I go on missions with my team, then?" Naruto questioned.

The woman shrugged her shoulders indifferently. "I'll go with you, I guess."

Naruto groaned. It seemed the fox was going to be nothing more than his shadow. _As Shikamaru would say, how troublesome._

The demon chuckled when she heard the groan. As they walked she glared at a lot of people, all of them either glaring or speaking in low undertones as Naruto walked by. She didn't have to be a demon millennia old to know what they were talking about. "It's a shame I didn't destroy this place."

"Why? I don't think you value human life that much, so where is the meaning in killing the village?" Naruto questioned.

"Unlike what you think I'm not a mindless beast, brat," Kyuubi said, not minding the fact some villagers heard her speak as they walked by. They gave her weird glances, not making the connection, but still she wasn't being subtle at all. "I've seen human civilizations grow and fall many times. This village is a prime example of something that should've been burned to the ground a long time ago."

"Why? Why do you think that?" Naruto wanted to know.

The woman turned to give Naturo a sideways glance with her red eyes. "Hypocrites, all of them."

"You don't let go of a grudge do you?"

The woman snorted but said nothing, instead opting to glare at an old man. The guy shivered in fright, even if she didn't put any killer intent into the glare.

_Well maybe Baa-chan will know what her problem is._

----

Tsunade had her head in the books, sleeping at the moment.

She had spent a good amount of the evening studying old scrolls and books about the history of Konoha, yet had found no real reason as to why the Kyuubi decided to attack the village in particular except sheer malice and viciousness.

Yet even as she read them, she felt something missing. Hence why after reading for so long she fell asleep

The door to the library opened slowly and a figure stepped in, hardly making a sound. A soft sigh escaped the new entrance's lips and the Fifth Hokage was approached slowly.

"Ummm... " Tsunade groaned rubbing her eyes.

"Hokage-sama," a soft female voice was heard as a hand was placed on the sannin's shoulder.

Tsunade looked up and saw her attendant. "Shizune, what time is it?" she asked groggily.

"It's already ten, Hokage-sama," the woman said with a smile and showed her mentor a tray with tea and some breakfast. "You stayed up till very late."

"Thank you," Tsunade said, taking the tea gratefully. "I had to. Trying to understand the Kyuubi has never been more important."

Shizune nodded her head in understanding. "Still, it won't help if you strain yourself sick. The Kyuubi hasn't destroyed the village, so you have time."

Tsunade nodded. "Its not destroying the village is what I am worried about." She took a sip of tea before going over a scroll. "I feel like something is staring me right in the face, but I can't see it."

"Baa-chan!"

Tsunade groaned as she heard Naruto announce his presence by calling her by that horrid nickname. "Brat."

"Trying to take a test, baa-chan?" Naruto asked, getting a glare from her.

"There something you want to say?" Tsunade asked. Then frowned when saw his serious face.

"Foxgirl has a grudge against the Hyuga Clan. She scared Hinata into a heart attack with her killer intent." He shot a look to the demon. "And you can say and growl however you want, fox. I'm still upset over that."

The Kyuubi looked nonplussed about it, just looking at Tsunade instead and grinning. "Did we interrupt your beauty sleep? With all those wrinkles it's obvious you need it."

Tsunade didn't bother to respond. Instead she went through her scrolls again, as if something Naruto said triggered something.

Shizune looked visibly uncomfortable as the Kyuubi lazily walked around the library, showing no respect at all for Tsunade. It didn't help that she knew the demon could take down the Hokage in a fight if she wanted to.

"Baa-chan?" Naruto blinked, wondering what the Hokage was doing. Finally she stopped reading through her scrolls.

"Kyuubi." The demon stopped when hearing its name. "The Sandaime left very well kept records from his time as Hokage. Everything made sense to me when I ready up on the village to bring myself into position as Hokage, yet there was something I couldn't place my finger on... Until Naruto gave me the answer."

"I did?" Naruto asked confused.

Tsunade got out of her chair and stood up. "People lost families, loved ones. Yet the clans all survived. However the ones that suffered most were the Hyugas. All of your other deaths were random, just people in the way," she said walking over to the demon. "Yet the Hyugas make up the largest number of deaths that are connected by clan. You were trying to wipe them out. There's only one reason for that." She was now face to face with the Kyuubi. "They took something you cared about from you, didn't they?"

Shizune remained silent, staring at the women as they held each other's gazes.

The Kyuubi herself remained silent, her eyes narrowed as she looked slightly up at Tsunade. "And what will you do if they did? Slap the back of their hands?" She asked sarcastically. "Your precious Yondaime knew, yet he fought me to death to save them even when I was completely justified."

"He fought you to save the village itself, not one single clan," Tsunade said evenly. "And I intend to do more than slap the back of their hands for being bad. Demons don't bother humans unless humans do something to offend them. People lost their lives, families were shattered and for what I do not know, but any of the Hyuga elders would have known as well as me, taking something from you would have brought your wrath upon them and by proxy, Konoha. I won't let that stand."

The demon snorted and averted her gaze from the stubborn Hokage. "I'm not wasting my time with you. By my own promises I can't extract my revenge at the moment, but by those same promises I'll destroy those that harm my own."

"Then I'll figure it out without you." Tsunade stated, as she intended to do just that.

"So, um, if there's nothing else I'm going to find Kakashi-sensei and..." Naruto started to say before Tsunade cut him off.

"Kakashi is on a mission outside the village," she said turning to face Naruto. "As of now Team Seven is disbanded."

Naruto blinked several times before shouting. "WHAT?!"

"Sasuke has left the village, Kakashi will be carrying out missions on his own, and Sakura is now my apprentice," Tsunade explained. "In short, Team Seven no longer exists. "

"But… But what about missions for me?!" Naruto exclaimed. "What am I supposed to do now!"

"Train for now. As far as missions go, that is something that will have to be worked out once I've had time to evaluate all of the current Genin," Tsunade said simply. "I'm sorry."

Naruto didn't say anything. He felt however that he had been just hit in the gut. "Aunty, let's get out of here." He said walking out of the room.

As the boy stepped out of the room, more like rushed out of it, the demon smirked in satisfaction at Tsunade before following.

Shizune frowned worriedly as she stepped closer to Tsunade after the couple was gone. "Hokage-sama... Why do I get the feeling the Kyuubi got what it wanted?"

"Cause it did," Tsunade growled. The problem was she had no other choice. What was she to do, send Naruto out on his own on dangerous missions without a team or people he could work with. It was going to take time for her to figure out a solution.

Just one of the many problems she had to deal with as Hokage.

---

Kyuubi walked next to Naruto, a smirk on her face as she goaded the kid's anger. "So now that you don't have me anymore they just discard you. Great place you live in."

"Think I am stupid fox?" Naruto growled.

"Hmm?" The demon raised an eyebrow.

"Even I'm not THAT stupid," Naruto said looking the demon square in the eye. "Yes, I'm angry that Baa-chan has me benched, but at least she had some logic to it. What am I going to do without a team, stupid dogcatcher missions I hated doing even when I was part of a team? I'm better off spending my time training." Naruto kept his eyes focused on the Kyuubi. "I know who my friends are, and I know that they care about me. So don't insult me by trying to compare them to the idiots that hated me because I had you stuffed inside me for twelve years. Got it?"

The demon herself locked gazes with Naruto and smirked. "And what about Sasuke?"

"I made a promise to bring him back. I'll keep it; drag his unconscious body back to Konoha. A person who can't keep his promises isn't worthy of being Hokage."

"And how exactly are you going to do that, brat?" Kyuubi asked sarcastically. "I seem to remember he killed you even when you were using a sliver of my power. On your own he won't even notice you're there."

"Then I'll train. I'll train hard enough, and can come up with enough jutsu, that I'll win," Naruto said for certain.

The woman snorted at that, but conceded the point. "It won't be easy. You're stuck in this village of weaklings without a teacher and just wasting your time."

Naruto thought for a moment before thinking. _Ero-sannin! I'll get him to train me! It's perfect... _ He frowned. _'Cept I have no idea where he is._

"There is a way to get that Sasuke boy back," Kyuubi said suddenly.

Naruto blinked. "... Are you serious?"

"Seriously," The woman said.

"... What's the catch?" Naruto asked.

"The Hyugas."

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Absolutely not."

The demon shrugged and looked away indifferently. "Suit yourself. I'll find a way to get the Hyuga clan. I was just thinking of giving you what you want in the process."

"I may have to kill as a ninja, but I won't become a cold blooded murderer," Naruto said sincerely. "I'd be no better than Sasuke's brother and his Akatsuki friends."

"No one to train you, no fights to get stronger. Not accepting my help. You'll never achieve what you want, brat," the Kyuubi said with an annoying smirk.

"Screw you, fox," Naruto snapped, his anger breaking. "I'm not your pawn! Not when you were inside me, and not now." With that he walked away from the demon.

Kyuubi just continued to smirk as she followed, enjoying the game immensely.

----

**Day 4**

The sounds of training were heard from the grounds as the boy went through the complicated motions over and over, working on a technique none in his age group could hope to master anytime soon.

Several craters and destroyed trees could be seen around, testament to training that had taken place for several days.

In the shade under a couple of trees a woman laid lazily, staring at the struggling teen through slited eyes, enjoying the morning breeze.

Naruto fell on his rear, exhausted by the effort. _My Rasengan is getting stronger and I have better control than before, but not enough that I can't do it without the need of a Kage Bushin. _He groaned as he felt his arm hurting from the work. Ero-sannin hadn't been seen for days, and he was beginning to wonder where the frog hermit was. _Probably peeping on women. _He thought in distaste.

"You ready to call it quits, brat?" The Kyuubi called from her spot under the tree, and Naruto had no trouble picturing the woman as a fox just lazily lounging around sleepily.

"You are enjoying this, aren't you fox?" Naruto muttered, annoyed as ever that the fox demon was still in his shadow.

The woman smirked. "Enjoy watching you have so much trouble with that simple a technique? Perish the thought!"

"Simple!" Naruto snapped. "Only Ero-sannin, Yondaime, and me know how to do this move!" He sat up in a huff. "If you think it's so simple I'd like to see you do it."

Kyuubi's smirk widened evilly as she stood up. As much as Naruto tried to compare her movements to those of another shinobi he couldn't. They were too animalistic and graceful. The closest he could think of was Kiba, and even he fell short of them.

The woman walked over to him. "You concentrate chakra and make it spiral like this, right?" In so asking she extended her hand forward and performed the Rasengan perfectly, just as easily as Jiraiya always did.

Naruto stared wide-eyed as he saw the Kyuubi doing the Rasengan, the only difference being its color. Instead of white-blue, it was blood-red.

"You humans have such a high concept of yourselves," Kyuubi said and dispersed the technique.

"So... What... You can copy any technique you see and do it flawlessly?" Naruto asked, clearly off-balance.

"Of course not," the Kyuubi said and rolled her eyes. "But such simple energy techniques are no problem for me."

"Oh right, you're just energy anyway," Naruto sighed then wondered. "Then, how exactly did you get born?"

"Don't try to hurt your head with things you wouldn't understand, brat," the demon said with an amused smirk. "I'm here. That's what matters."

Naruto was about to say something but noticed two figures walking towards them coming from behind the Kyuubi. Both of which he recognized. Temari and... "Gaara?"

Kyuubi turned to regard the newcomers and raised an eyebrow, hiding her reaction at recognizing the general feel of the boy with the red hair. So that was the container of Shukaku...

"Uzumaki Naruto..." Gaara of the Sand greeted in his usual emotionless manner as he stopped a couple of feet from the Leaf nin.

"How've you been Gaara?" Naruto asked, a little nervous. Last time they met, they had fought nearly to the death. Though there was something of a resolution at the end, Naruto wasn't exactly looking for a fight at the moment.

Not answering the question, Gaara asked one instead. "I heard you fought Uchiha Sasuke... And that you were severely injured."

"Um yeah, but I'm better now," Naruto answered.

"Only because the Kyuubi brought you back from the dead." Gaara's sister pointed out.

"... WHAT?!" Naruto stared right at Temari in disbelief. "But... But how could you..." He suddenly remembered that time he had been in Tsunade's office and about that bird. "You?!"

"Bingo." Temari said with a slight smirk.

Gaara gave no outward reaction at the exchange, but the Kyuubi did smirk at it. "So you know about this brat's dirty secret, huh? And just how much did you overhear?"

"Enough," Temari said turning to face the woman. "Kyuubi."

The demon crossed her arms over her breasts casually and turned to regard Naruto to see his reaction. "What do you think of this, brat? Your secret is out."

"Yeah, and your point is what?" Naruto shrugged. "I don't see any problem with them knowing. Gaara and I have been the same."

Kyuubi sneered. "And you think I can be considered the same as that weakling Shukaku?"

Gaara's eyebrow twitched and he had to hold the side of his head, as the demon inside of him screeched angrily at the taunting of the freed demon.

Temari saw this and was upset. She hated to see Gaara suffer. She looked over to Naruto. "How come she didn't drive you mad?"

"Seals, pure ignorance, take your pick," Naruto stated.

Gaara took a step back as he tried to control the demon inside of him. That was why he didn't notice Kyuubi walking forward and cupping Temari's cheek on her hand, a smirk on her face. "You know about my promise, don't you girl?"

"Yes," Temari said, somewhat afraid now. The promise made extended only to Leaf-nin and she was a Sand-nin.

The demon's smirk widened as she seemed to smell the fear in the young girl. "It's been so long since I last feasted on the heart of a virgin," she said and purposely showed her fangs to Temari.

"Will you cut it out, foxgirl," Naruto growled. Temari clearly didn't like it at all. She wasn't even sure if the demon was being serious or not.

The demon ignored Naruto just for a few seconds longer, for the girl to be sufficiently cowed, before retrieving her hand and taking a step back. She glanced at Gaara, who was staring at her impassively, and grinned. "You have Shukaku under good control, I see."

Gaara continued to stare at the demon without change, inwardly glad that he didn't have to fight to defend his sister. He could feel Shukaku's anger and fear at Kyuubi.

"So what do you brats want?" The Kyuubi asked after getting tired of Gaara's attitude, turning to Temari.

_Under control?!_ Temari snapped but in her mind, she wanted to yell out but couldn't because with the demon she had be careful. It could kill her in a second.

"Came to resolve what questions I had before we left for home, but you've managed to take care of that."

"Hey fox, which do you like more? Screwing with humans or your own kind?" Naruto asked.

Before Kyuubi could answer that question with something insulting Gaara took a step forward, his penetrating gaze focused on the blond. "Uzumaki Naruto... I would speak with you."

"Um, yeah Gaara?" Naruto asked.

The container of Shukaku remained silent as he walked away from his sister and the Kyuubi. He was slightly worried about leaving his sibling with the demon, but wanted to speak with the Leaf shinobi and so far the nine-tailed fox seemed civil enough.

"Don't hurt her, fox," Naruto warned the demon as he left to follow Gaara.

The Kyuubi rolled her eyes and smirked as she turned her attention to the girl in front of her.

"... What is it that you want?" Temari asked.

"Why would I want anything?" The demon asked in amusement, obviously enjoying the discomfort the ninja was experiencing.

"Everyone and everything wants something," Temari said, speaking from experience. "Everything has a price."

Kyuubi sobered at that and turned to regard Naruto, who was speaking quietly with Gaara while out of earshot. It was so strange to see the kid talking like that instead of shouting. "I have plans for the brat."

"Like getting revenge through him?" Temari asked.

"Among other things," the demon admitted, unafraid of having her plans foiled by Temari.

"You dislike humans, but what about your own kind, other demons I mean?" Temari asked inquisitively.

Kyuubi snorted. "What other demons? There's very few of us. And the few that exist nearly never run into each other."

"Then what do you call something that's about seven feet tall and looks like a wolf but stands like a man? A distant relative?" Temari asked.

Kyuubi glared at the girl. "Do not presume to compare me with such creatures, human. Comparing me to them is almost as demeaning as comparing me to your weak kind."

Temari decided to keep quiet but filed under reference that such creatures should not be considered demons. _Demons are things that can scare you no matter how hard you try not to be scared._

Meanwhile Gaara looked at Naruto as he asked, "How did your fight with Uchiha Sasuke go?"

"Kinda a redundant question considering I had to let the fox out," Naruto replied. He pulled out of his pocket the forehead protector that had been left behind.

Gaara studied the scratched forehead protector and turned his gaze back to meet with Naruto's blue orbs. "How?"

"Scroll I found Kage Bushin in, I found a method for unsealing a demon from a human body."

The Sand nin shook his head and rephrased his question. "How did you hold back the killing blow?" He knew that he wouldn't have been able to, had he been under the influence of Shukaku. Hell, he would've gladly given that blow without the influence of the demon.

Naruto stared at Gaara for a moment before giving his answer. "Because I made a promise to someone and I always keep my promises. I'm not worthy of becoming Hokage if I can't keep a promise."

"Becoming Hokage?" Gaara asked, intrigued.

"That's been my dream, my purpose for so long," Naruto told Gaara, the conviction and emotion behind his dream showing. "When I become Hokage, everyone will recognize me. Even those that hate me."

Gaara blinked his eyes, confused as to Naruto's motives and trying to compare them to his own. "And what about Kyuubi's influence?"

"Huh?" Naruto blinked, confused.

"Does it tell you to kill others? Does it influence your decisions and try to make you destroy?" Gaara asked. For he sure as hell knew Shukaku did.

"... No. Not in the least," Naruto said. He knew Shukaku had kept Gaara from sleeping, but this...

"I see..." Gaara said as he turned to regard Kyuubi from a distance. The demon seemed to feel it, for she turned to lock gazes with him. The malice in her eyes was unmistakable, and he had to wonder about it. "She's still a demon."

"Yeah, but as Baa-chan said, demons don't usually like to interfere in our affairs, and Konoha brought her wrath upon themselves," Naruto said looking back at the Kyuubi. "The fox wants to use me to get her damn revenge against the Hyugas, but I'm no killer. I'm a ninja. I won't kill in cold blood."

Gaara looked at Naruto as if he was stupid. He was a ninja, of course he was a killer. It came with the territory. "You are a strange one, Uzumaki Naruto." A strange one, but definitely more than he seemed, Gaara decided.

"Thanks, Gaara," Naruto smiled. It didn't matter to him if Gaara didn't get it, at least not now anyway. Maybe some day he would.

Not having anything more to say right now, the Sand nin walked back towards his sister.

Naruto looked back at the forehead protector in his hands and wondered one thing. Sasuke, what the hell are you doing, you bastard?

---

**Day 6**

"What the hell?" Sasuke asked aloud as he walked through the fog, trying to figure out where it had come from. More to the point where was Asuka now? He was trying to find those herbs when he felt something block his view. "What the...?" Then he felt it. Blood. Looking at his hand he saw it and looking forward... "No... No..." His eyes were wide as he fell backwards seeing someone he didn't want to see.

"Are you happy now, Sasuke?" Naruto asked him as he had a hole right through his chest. "Are you happy?"

"No! Naruto no!" Sasuke shouted, shaking his head but saw the boy come to him shaking his shoulders.

"Sasuke... Sasuke..."

"Naruto! Let go of me!" Sasuke shouted. "I'm sorry!"

---

"Sasuke?" Asuka asked as she retreated from the waking boy, a look of concern on her features.

Sasuke's eyes widened as he was fully woken up and looked at the girl. "A-Asuka?"

The girl looked at him worriedly. "Are... Are you okay?"

Sasuke turned away from her, angered that he had let Naruto's name slip through his mouth. "I'm fine. It's nothing."

"I..." Asuka started, reaching out for him, but retracted her hand and placed it on her lap. It wasn't any of her business, she told herself. "It's almost sunrise."

"Then we should find that herb. We are only a day away from the border now, right?"

"I'd say so," the girl said as she sat back slightly and looked around. "It's hard to tell in this forest."

Sasuke nodded, though felt rather well rested. Almost a hundred percent now. It's just that... _... Oh shit..._ He immediately activated his Sharingan and scouted around. _How could I be this careless?!_ He grabbed Asuka's bag and put it around his neck. He then grabbed Asuka and scooped her up. Before she could say anything though, he poured chakra into his legs.

And ran.

---

"... What just happened?" A Sound nin asked.

"You moved in a way that he could hear you," Kabuto sighed. "Now he knows we are following him. I asked only one thing of you, to be quiet and you can't even do that." He looked over to the more competent Ninjas he had with him. "Go after him and bring him back, alive."

"And the girl?" A Chunin Sound nin asked.

Kabuto shrugged. "Whatever happens, happens." Kabuto watched as the four Genin and two Chunin he had brought with him departed after Sasuke. Though he had a good head start, Kabuto knew he couldn't keep that speed up forever. He had been tracking Sasuke for the last two days and had sent word back last night for Sound nin to come to him.

And they blew the surprise in five minutes.

"Well now, let's see if you truly live up to Orochimaru-sama's expectations," Kabuto smiled, following behind, intending to watch from a distance.

---

Sasuke followed the river path as far as he could and found something he was grateful to see. "There. A small cave. You'll be safe there."

"What's wrong?" A now scared Asuka asked. She knew they were being followed, at least she suspected it, but she just had to ask.

"We were tracked and I didn't even notice it until the reinforcements showed up," Sasuke said as he reached the cave and cut out the chakra boost. It had cost him some, but he was glad to have the majority of his chakra still intact. _I'd not have that if I didn't eat or get any sleep._

"... Is there any way we can run away?" The girl asked, wanting to avoid any trouble.

"No. Just stay here and don't make a sound. I'm going to leave now," Sasuke said.

"Sasuke," Asuka called to him.

"If I stay here, the fight will be here and you could die. When it's over I'll come back for you... If I don't...Wait until dark and get the hell out of here" Sasuke lowered his head. "... Thanks for the rabbit." He then rushed away.

She nodded. "Just... Be careful..."

---

The Sound nin were coming closer to finding Sasuke, wondering where he was.

"I can't believe Orochimaru-sama wants this Leaf brat," a Genin said.

"You dare to doubt his wisdom. After all the brat betrayed his own village," one of the Chunins said.

"Yeah but why the hell is he now killing...?" The Genin was interrupted as he saw his quarry right in his face.

"Because I don't want to be here!" Sasuke said, slitting the Genin's throat right in front of the Chunin.

"You son of a..." The Chunin snapped aiming his hands at Sasuke, which had sound holes at the palms. Something the Uchiha easily recognized from the Chunin Exam.

"You want me," the former Leaf nin said, avoiding the sonic attack and landing on the river. "Just try and take me!"

The Sound nin went hard and fast at Sasuke. However with the Mangekyou Sharingan, they were moving slow to him. He formed his hand-seals as he used chakra to boost his speed before reaching behind them. He let loose with his signature fire jutsu. The Chunin didn't have a chance.

An air attack grazed him by the shoulder as he turned and saw another nin coming after him. He blocked his outstretched kunai and prepared to attack when something piercing struck his ears.

"You think we fight straight out like fools!" an angry voice shouted at him, yet it wasn't the from the Sound nin he was fighting right now. Right now he couldn't tell where it came from, the ringing in his ears becoming horrible. "Sound is our weapon and you will see how!"

"Like I care about that," was what he thought he said. But he realized he heard nothing. In fact he was hearing nothing. Suddenly he was sent flying, a blow hard into his back. He was sent to the ground as he tried to get back up, he could hear again, only it was the loud piercing noise once more. Looking at the Sound nin he saw their entire heads were covered, their eyes protected by goggles.

_Trying to screw up my hearing and throw me out of balance. Not a bad idea, has to be the Chunin behind this trick,_ Sasuke reasoned as he had to deal with the loud noise. He saw the nin now stalking him, thinking they had the advantage.

The problem for them was that he could tell they were switching back and forth to try to disorient him. The moment he heard nothing he knew how to handle this. Gathering chakra he spew out fire… But not out at his enemies.

Rather it was around himself.

---

_Is he trying to kill himself?_ One of the Sound Genin asked himself as he stood looking at the pillar of fire the Uchiha had created.

_Orochimaru-sama will punish us if he's damaged severely,_ a Genin realized, rushing through the fire while another tried to tell him to stop, only no sound came from his mouth. They had the sound silence up and no sound could be heard.

As they waited for something to happen, to have their target appear, nothing happened.

The Sound Chunin was hiding behind the trees keeping his silencer device on. They had to move without sound. Even if the Uchiha was still inside his pillar he was still trapped.

One of the Sound Genin charged the pillar out of impatience. Inside he saw the body of the nin that had jumped into the flames.

_What? How did...?_ The Chunin gasped as he saw a hand sticking out of his chest.

It was the last thing he saw.

---

The Chidori was designed to be an assassination technique. Due to the fact that it gave off the sound of a thousand chirping birds, really wasn't much of one since it told your enemy where you were coming from. However with the Sound Chunin's trick that aspect was cut off, making his Chidori a silent technique.

The pillar of fire was meant as a smoke screen, using the Mangekyou he was able to see through the fires and started looking for the one using the silence technique. He took out the Genin that came into the flames with ease and then used his chakra to enhance his speed to get out of the pillar without anyone noticing. After getting out of their line of sight, he powered up the Chidori to take out the Chunin from behind.

It also had the secondary effect that he was expecting, as the two remaining Genin realized that the sound was coming from behind them and they were exposed to an attack.

Without a second's hesitation Sasuke pounced, throwing his last two kunai right into each of their heads. They fell dead to the ground without having the chance to react. He stared down at the corpses and just stood there silently. Less than a week and he had already killed more than a dozen people.

And except for Naruto, he felt absolutely nothing towards the people he killed. He wondered if that was the right way to feel. He'd even ask Kakashi... If his former sensei was there.

Unfortunately for Sasuke, his thoughts over his detachment had become a costly mistake as he felt a blade pierce through his left hand. He was tackled down and fell into the stream. Looking up he saw the incensed look of a Sound Chunin.

"You bastard! You killed my brother and my friends!" He snarled. "I don't care what Orochimaru wants! I want you dead!" Had he been thinking rationally and not out of anger, he wouldn't have said that.

Either way, the nin's kunai came right at his face. In a few seconds he would be dead.

If he were anyone but Uchiha Sasuke…

The Sound nin froze, inches away from the kunai being in Sasuke's eye. His eyes glazed over as the kunai fell out of his hands, followed closely by his body. The corpse fell face-first into the stream.

Sasuke fell down to his knees, breathing deeply as he caught his second wind. Again he had used the Mangekyou, though this time to save his life. No time for a kawarimi with that Chunin about to strike, his kunai only inches from his head.

_Bruised ribs, stab wound to my left arm, and I've probably only got a third of my chakra left. _Which he was grateful for now that Tsukuyomi didn't rob him of all his chakra. _Now to get Asuka and..._ He stood up and looked forward… Only to pale at the sight.

He saw Asuka. Unfortunately, a certain traitor was holding her captive and was looking right at him.

Kabuto looked calm as he stared at Sasuke, a kunai held to Asuka's throat. Unlike with other ninja, Sasuke knew Orochimaru's right hand wouldn't fail in killing the girl before he could even move a finger. "Well done, Sasuke-kun."

"Kabuto," Sasuke growled, his Sharingan still active but not the Mangekyou. _The last thing I need is for him to know I have it._

The Sound nin grinned at the boy. "You have grown quite strong in such a short time. It is no wonder Orochimaru-sama is so intent on having you join us." While he held Asuka he didn't hurt her like others would a captive. Just held her in a way it would be easy to kill her should Sasuke misbehave.

"Tell your master to go screw himself. I've changed my mind," was Sasuke's reply.

"A little late for that, wouldn't you agree?" Kabuto asked good-naturedly. "A cursed seal is not something that can be taken off."

"Maybe, but that doesn't mean I can't force it down to the depths of hell," Sasuke returned. "I've lost enough already for just coming here." His eyes narrowed. "I won't lose what honor I have left by joining you."

"But Sasuke-kun," Kabuto said with a smile. "What good is honor without power? You did want the power to kill your brother, didn't you? You are an avenger, isn't that right?"

"Shut up!" Sasuke snarled, feeling his anger rising. "I am an avenger! I will kill Itachi for murdering our family! But I won't become worse than him! I'm already just like him! I killed my best friend and I hate it!"

It had been festering within in him for days now and now he finally let out.

But his eyes widened in horror as he realized he had finally let it out but at the wrong time.

The gasp that escaped Asuka's lips told him so, as did the horrified look in the girl's eyes.

Kabuto looked at Sasuke strangely for a moment, before chuckling slightly in amusement. "So you killed Naruto-kun? Interesting. Quite a feat, Sasuke-kun."

"Shut up," Sasuke growled. "You don't even have the right to say his name traitor."

"And why not? I'm not the one that killed him," Kabuto said and pressed the kunai slightly tighter against Asuka's throat to prevent Sasuke from attacking. "I wouldn't move if I were you."

"Let her go," Sasuke said to Kabuto. "She's got nothing to do with us."

"Perhaps not, but you took it upon yourself to protect her. I'm curious as to why," Orochimaru's follower asked.

"Like I said, I have become my brother, but I will not become worse than him. I will strive to be better than him. Itachi thinks only of himself. I won't," Sasuke said simply as he looked at Kabuto. "Now let Asuka go."

"Or else what, Sasuke-kun?" Kabuto asked.

Sasuke closed his eyes. And when he reopened them, there was the Mangekyou for all to see. "Or you will be dead before you can even move that blade closer to her throat."

Kabuto blinked his eyes in surprise and smirked. Then he simply closed them altogether. "Foolish Sasuke-kun. You should've just taken advantage while you had the element of surprise. Do you really think we haven't researched your brother and his abilities?"

"Maybe, but if you do kill her, you realize that I'll kill you with Tsukuyomi without a second thought and then your master will totally lose me," Sasuke said staring at Kabuto. "I'm going to give you a deal that will give you a chance to live. Let the girl go, we fight, I won't use my Mangekyou. The winner gets to do what ever he wants to the loser, but no matter what happens she's spared."

The thing was, it wasn't that Sasuke didn't just use the element of surprise when he did, it's just that he couldn't. He tried the moment he activated the Mangekyou but he couldn't make Tsukuyomi work. Which meant, he had to bluff.

"That is assuming you have the power to bargain, which you don't." Kabuto, however, called his bluff. His more powerful weapon wasn't his advanced healing, even if that was dangerous in itself, it was his knowledge and advanced tactics. "You have no way to escape this situation, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke seemed defeated as his Mangekyou deactivated and Kabuto smiled. However, Sasuke then started to go through the hand seals for his signature move. Lightning crackled in his right arm as he stared down Kabuto.

Kabuto frowned at the action. "Stop that or the girl dies."

"You aren't going to let her go no matter what I do for you," Sasuke said staring down Kabuto.

"You have to admit I pretty much hold every advantage, Sasuke-kun," Kabuto said with a smile.

"... Asuka. I don't know if I can save you," Sasuke said looking at her. "If it came down to you or your grandmother, which would you chose to save?"

Kabuto smirked as the girl shivered, obviously distraught with how to answer that question, and suddenly pushed her towards Sasuke. She yelped in surprise and stumbled, losing her feet and falling flat on her face in front of the boy.

Sasuke immediately cut out the Chidori, staring right at Kabuto. "... Why?"

The Sound nin continued to smirk as he stood straight and adjusted his glasses. "Your eyes see many things, yet you are blind to so many truths, Sasuke-kun," Kabuto said cryptically as he reached into his side pouch.

Asuka started to sit up and turned to regard the ninja that had taken her hostage moments ago.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked, still on guard for anything

Kabuto smiled pleasantly. "Why nothing at all, Sasuke-kun. In fact I wasn't even here. And of course, I left nothing behind," he said as he threw something at the Leaf nin.

It was a wooden box. The Uchiha opened the box only to find two scrolls. One of them he decided to read, though he had a worry or two. All evaporated once he read the top contents. "This is a scroll about healing jutsus... Why are you giving this to me?"

"I didn't. I was never here, remember?" Kabuto said pleasantly as he turned on his heels and jumped away, vanishing among the trees.

Sasuke stared at where Kabuto had been. "What the hell was that all about?" He muttered aloud before putting the healing scroll back in the box. The other scroll he'd take a look at later. He turned back to Asuka. "Are you alright?"

Asuka remained sitting where she was, staring at anything but Sasuke right now.

"... Say something," Sasuke asked of her.

"Is it true?" Asuka asked quietly, still unable to turn and look at the boy.

Sasuke wanted to look away from her, but he owed her the truth. "I left my village but they didn't want me to leave. They sent nin after me. The only one that actually got to me was Naruto. I told him to just let me go... The dobe wouldn't listen to me." He paused, hating the feeling he had as he was reliving it. "We ended up fighting. Then he... He became something else and then so did I. We fought so hard, we ended up using lethal force against each other. Moves that would kill a normal person ten times over."

"In the end... We both used our last attacks... But then he just... He just stopped. I didn't even have time to react. My arm just went right through him. He died," Sasuke said looking down into the river and seeing not his reflection but Itachi's. "My best friend died at my hands and these eyes of mine will never let me forget that."

Asuka could hear the self-loathing in Sasuke's voice, the guilt at having killed the one he considered as his best friend. But at the same time she couldn't help but feel this boy was a betrayer.

"You don't trust me anymore. It's alright. I guess I don't deserve anyone's trust," Sasuke said simply. "But for right now try to believe that I will get you out of Sound territory. Once I get you to your village, I'll just leave. You never need to see me again."

The girl nodded slightly. "I just... Sasuke... Is death really that important to you?" All her life she'd been raised to appreciate life, and here was a person that did everything for the death of one man. It went against everything she believed in.

"My brother... He murdered our entire clan when I was seven. He killed our mother, our father, every last person in our family…" Sasuke looked back at her and felt tears finally threatening to come down his face as he relieved in his mind the horror of the massacre. "My entire clan of a hundred and eleven people was killed in a single night. By the brother I had idolized my entire life, who on that night tortured me by reliving their deaths for seventy two hours, even if it lasted only a second in the real world... And he let me live because I wasn't worth killing!"

Finally he fell to knees, and for the first time in six years Uchiha Sasuke felt tears come from his eyes. "I had nothing left to live for but his death. Nothing! What else could I do?!"

Asuka turned to regard the suffering boy and sighed. "You could have tried to live..." She said in a whisper, though she knew her words wouldn't convince him. He'd lived this way for years. What good would the words of a weak little girl do to someone like him?

"Tried... But I couldn't," Sasuke said simply. "Every day and every night I saw them die over and over, again and again. Only becoming avenger seemed to give me peace... And now I have no peace. Only torment."

Asuka seemed saddened by Sasuke's torment, for she truly wanted to help him yet knew no way to do so. "Death only brings more death," she said, repeating her grandmother's words.

"What?" Sasuke asked, not understanding this quote.

"Death only brings more death," Asuka repeated and looked into Sasuke's eyes. She had to suppress the urge to look away from his unnerving gaze as she explained. "My grandmother has always said that, ever since I can remember."

Sasuke thought about it, and felt like there was something similar he had heard once, but could not remember it. "She sounds like a peaceful woman."

"She is," Asuka said and looked away, her nerve lost after the moment was broken. "I should look at your injuries."

"Let's hurry," Sasuke said to her. "Kabuto may not have captured me or done anything to you but that doesn't mean we can stay long."

"Are you sure you can travel with those wounds?" The girl asked with obvious worry in her voice.

"We can't afford to stay," Sasuke said urgently. "And we still need to look for that last herb."

"About that... I already found it," Asuka said as she reached into her bag and produced the herb they'd been looking for. It looked freshly cut too.

"Where did you get it?"

"It was in the cave," Asuka said quietly.

Sasuke blinked for a moment. "... Of all the luck. At least now you can help your grandmother."

She nodded, smiling as she thought to her grandmother getting better from the disease that ailed her, and looked at Sasuke with a frown. "You could come with me..."

"I have every intention of seeing you out of Sound lands and to your village," Sasuke said to her. "After that, I'll leave you alone if you wish."

The girl nodded hesitantly at that. She looked like she wanted to say something, but held back for now and decided that it could wait for a better moment.

Sasuke groaned as he looked over his left arm. It was still bleeding. "I need to tie this wound with something to stop the bleeding."

Asuka's eyes widened as she looked at the wound. "Sit down! I'll take care of it," she said urgently, setting down her bag and reaching in for her supplies.

Sasuke blinked. "What are you? A medic?" He asked as he sat on some rocks.

"Something like that," Asuka replied as she produced some herbs and gauze.

Sasuke waited for her to finish her job and looked at her. "How long have you been away from home?"

As Asuka placed away her supplies, which while not nearly as effective as a medic-nin's still got the job done, she answered the question. "Almost a month now. My mother must be worried sick."

Sasuke lifted his arm, saw the binding around his arm and felt it was good. _I might end up being grateful to Kabuto if that healing scroll can be of use to me. _That was a scary thought. Shaking his head he turned to Asuka. "Feel like running?"

Asuka sighed wearily; still sore from the running times they've had already, but nodded.

But as they ran, Sasuke could only wonder why Kabuto let him go.

It would be a question he would have no answer to.

**To Be Continued...**


	4. Chapter 4

_**Disclaimer:** Neither I nor my co author own Naruto. There's nothing more to say than that. This story is a collaboration effort between me and Drakuzz. For those of you that have read our first collaboration Twin Troubles, we hope you'll come enjoy this tale. For those of you that haven't, we also hope you enjoy this as well._

**Diverging Paths  
By David Knight and Drakuzz**

**Chapter 4: The New Team**

**Day 9**

Tsunade had been studying through the reports of team members. Most of them seemed well off, though Naruto was obviously an exception considering how Sasuke had betrayed them and Sakura was her apprentice now. _He should continue to take place in missions, however I can't just put him with another squad and I can't see a reason to have him take an instructor's place in a four-man squad just to keep him with the Genin his own age. _

She scrolled over the records over Gai's squad and something peaked her interest._ Rock Lee, Hyuuga Neji, Shiranui Tenten. The boys overshadow the kunoichi tremendously... In fact I'd dare to say Gai spends almost all of his time with them. _She also started to think about other matters as well and a smile came to her face.

As this happened the door opened and Shizune stepped into the room. "Hokage-sama, I have the scrolls you requested," the younger woman said as she placed a large pile of old scrolls on the desk.

"Thank you, Shizune," Tsunade said. "Can you go find Mitarashi Anko for me?"

Shizune blinked at the request. "Hokage-sama?"

"I wish to speak to her," Tsunade said simply. Not hearing anything she looked up and stared at her attendant. "Do I need to repeat myself?"

Shizune snapped at attention and shook her head. "N-no. Of course not, Hokage-sama! I'll go get her for you!" And with that she rushed out of the room.

Tsunade chuckled slightly. _I wonder how she'll take to my proposal._

About an hour later the doors to the office opened again and in walked the female Jounin she had asked for. "Did you call for me, Hokage-sama?" She asked in a joking manner, always one for disrespect of authority.

"I did," Tsunade said, looking up to the Jounin. "I've been going through your file. You don't seem to like staying in teams, and have never placed in a request to help teach any rookie Genin. Why is that?"

"Would you trust me with a rookie team?" Anko asked with a smirk, and she was well known for being a little bit on the wild side... Okay, make that a lot on the wild side. That and the fact she had a cursed seal from Orochimaru.

"I'm not the Third or others you've dealt with," Tsunade said with smirk as she had a folder in her hand. One she pushed down towards Anko. "I have a group of three I'd like you to be Jounin to."

The Jounin blinked her eyes as she took the folder and opened it up. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw the first file in it. "Ooookay... You're giving me the Kyuubi brat..."

"Keep reading," Tsunade said, the smirk did not leave her face.

Anko shrugged and did so. Tenten looked normal enough. If she remembered correctly she was one of Gai's brats. Tsunade was doing the girl a favor, in her opinion, by taking her out of that lunatic's team. And lastly there was... "Hokage-sama... I think this file's wrong."

"Oh?" Tsunade asked coyly.

"Aside from the picture, which reminds me of someone from the Inuzuka clan, there's nothing here," Anko said.

"That's because there's nothing left to add, not unless I want every fool in the village to begin attacking her which would result in our extermination," Tsunade said with a smile. She was enjoying this far more than she thought she would have.

Anko blinked at that. "... Am I missing something here?"

"You were a bit wrong before when you called Naruto 'the Kyuubi brat'. Ex-Kyuubi brat would have been more accurate," Tsunade said smiling as she took in Anko's face as she took the last photo. "_This _is the Kyuubi."

Few things could shock Anko, who considered herself as a woman that had seen and heard everything. Hearing, however, that the Kyuubi was not only free but actually walking about Konoha in human guise and the Hokage herself was accepting her as a kunoichi in her ranks... It was too much even for her. "I think I need a drink."

"Help yourself to my private supply if you think it will help," Tsunade said good-naturedly.

"Why?" Anko asked. She could understand the seal being broken. No seal could remain for eternity, and the Kyuubi was a very powerful demon. Yet why would Tsunade accept the demon and hide it from the others instead of fight it. Hell, why wasn't the Kyuubi trying to destroy Konoha?!

"Why isn't the Kyuubi destroying Konoha? Because Naruto made it promise never to attack Konoha and he set her free before he died due to Uchiha Sasuke using a Chidori. The Kyuubi then brought Naruto back from the dead." Tsunade said in an even and serious tone, but she was not yet done. "Why don't I fight it? Because I am not suicidal. Demons like the Kyuubi do not involve themselves with us lowly humans unless said humans are stupid enough to piss them off by taking something that belongs to them, something they care for greatly. Something that the Hyuuga Clan did and as a result was the massacre of twelve years ago. Any further why questions?"

Anko remained silent for a moment, taking it all in. In the end she smirked. "So I get to order the Kyuubi around?"

"It hasn't been finalized yet, I still have to break the news to her." Tsunade look back with a smile. "But yes. In fact the reason why I chose you was because I thought you were the only Jounin that wouldn't lose their mind for this assignment."

Anko grinned. "You're just asking for trouble, you know? When everyone finds out this is going to blow in your face."

"Maybe," Tsunade said with a slight smile. "However, Konoha brought the Kyuubi's wrath upon themselves. I don't intend on repeating that mistake again, regardless of the promise Naruto extracted from her. I also intend on finding out the truth of what the Hyuuga and also the Fire Council did. There's no way the Hyuuga clan could have done something of that magnitude without the main body of the Council being aware of their actions, seeing as how several Hyuuga were part of it."

The usually problematic Jounin sobered at that and nodded. "It won't be easy. The best the Sandaime managed was that law to have all talk about the Kyuubi forbidden. If the council finds out about the demon being on the loose they'll side with the Hyuuga clan."

"If I find evidence that the Hyuuga clan knew exactly what they were doing and knew their actions could result in retaliation by the Kyuubi, I'm fairly certain they won't side with the Hyuuga. They have hated the demon, but they have always wanted the reason for the loss of their family." She had a smile on her face. "Another reason why I assigned the Kunoichi from Team Gai is because I am dissolving Gai's team. Lee still needs to properly recover and as far as Hyuuga Neji is concerned," the smile became wider. "Someone from the branch house who has wanted to make the main house lives hell."

Anko shrugged. She wasn't one to get much into politics, so whatever action Tsunade wanted to take against the Hyuuga was fine with her. That and she was curious as to what it felt like to have a team of her own, even if she'd never actually say it out loud. "So when did you plan to tell them?"

"Oh I already sent Jounin to fetch them," Tsunade smirked. "I can't wait to see the fox's expression."

-----

Naruto walked to the Hokage's tower, something he did on a regular basis. Fact that he got summoned by a Jounin was also not uncommon.

The fact that 'Uzumaki Kaguya' had also been summoned to see the Hokage however, was.

Not that the Kyuubi would've left his side, fact that was starting to annoy him, but it was strange that Tsunade actually wanted to see the demon as well.

"Wonder what Baa-chan has got in mind for the two of us," Naruto mused.

"That old woman probably wants to send you away so I'm not around either," the demon said non-chalantly, fully expecting that to be the reason for the summons.

Naruto shook his head but then stopped as he saw another Genin that he knew reach the door to the Hokage's office. "Tenten?"

"Naruto?" the weapons kunoichi blinked.

"Were you summoned by baa-chan too?" Naruto asked, earning a frown from the girl.

"How do you get around calling the Hokage Baa-chan without anyone saying a thing?" Tenten asked, wondering just how he _did _get away with callling the Hokage a granny.

"Sometimes I don't," Naruto said honestly.

"Is this another of your girlfriends, brat?" The Kyuubi asked playfully as she leaned over Naruto's shoulder and smirked at Tenten, draping an arm around Naruto's shoulders possessively just to annoy the hell out of him.

"Knock it off aunty," Naruto said shoving the arm off.

"Aunty?" Tenten blinked.

"Long story," Naruto sighed. "Let's find out what the old lady wants." He opened up the door and then noticed someone that gave him reason to be concerned. "EH! YOU?!"

Anko grinned at the former Kyuubi brat. "Happy to see you, too!"

"Good to see you are all here," Tsunade said with a smile. She looked over to Anko who went to close the door.

"What is going on Baa-chan?" Naruto asked.

"I'm giving you what you want, brat. I am putting you on a team." Tsunade said with a smile.

It took Naruto all of five seconds before he started jumping up and down for joy. "Yes! Finally! I can go back on missions! Yahoo!"

Tenten let out a sigh, not believing it at all.

Naruto did however stop as he looked over to Tsunade, smile on his face. "So, so, who's on my team?" He saw Tsunade smirking as she pulled out a leaf forehead protector. "Um, I already have one."

"It's not for you baka," Tsunade said, tossing it right at the Kyuubi. "It's for her."

The Kyuubi caught the forehead protector and blinked her eyes in surprise, for the first time truly taken aback. "... What?!"

"You three are put together as a team and you've just met your Jounin," Tsunade said with a smirk.

"WHAT?!!!" Naruto screamed, his jaw just went down to the floor, literally.

Tenten wasn't sure what the big deal was. _So I miss seeing Neji on my team, or Lee. At least this way I have half a chance of learning something. Gai-sensei didn't teach me much of anything. _

Kyuubi looked down from the Hokage to the forehead protector she had in her hand. A look of disgust crossed her features, obviously disliking the significance. "Let's set things straight, old woman. I might not be able to destroy this pathetic village now, but that doesn't mean I'll actually fight for it," she said in disdain and threw the protector at Tsunade's desk.

Anko's eyes narrowed at the open rejection. The open rejection of everything that forehead protector represented didn't sit well with her.

Tenten's eyes went wide, wondering where the heck that came from. Naruto would have said something to the fox then but Tsunade beat him to it.

"The way I see it, you have two options, since you've clearly stated that you intend to be near Naruto. Either you are on the same team as him or you try following him, which I am very certain has become very annoying for him so far, and will possibly get him killed. Now do you want that on your conscience, Kyuubi?" Tsunade asked the demon.

Tenten fell backwards. "K-kyuubi?!" _That's__the _**_Kyuubi?! _**She couldn't believe it.

_Has everyone lost their minds!?!_ Naruto asked himself at this point.

Anko frowned as she continued to glare at the Kyuubi, before turning to regard Tenten. "The Yondaime didn't kill the Kyuubi like you've been told, kid."

"What?" Tenten blinked her fear broken for a moment

"What we say here does not leave this room," Tsunade said sternly. "Yondaime sealed the Kyuubi into a newborn boy."

Tenten suddenly had a sinking feeling as she turned to face Naruto who simply nodded. Tenten felt somewhat faint. _If I could drink, I think I would now._

The demon still looked really angry as she glared at Tsunade. "You seem to forget I'm a demon, human. I don't have a conscience. As for the brat, I'll make sure nothing happens to him."

"You sure about that?" Tsunade asked, keeping a smirk on her face.

"Nothing in this pathetic village can go through me. You know that as well as I do," the woman said, and while it sounded like a boast those that had felt the full power of the Kyuubi knew perfectly well that it wasn't.

"I'm not talking about the village. I'm talking about what happens outside," Tsunade said.

"... What are you talking about?" The Kyuubi asked.

Anko blinked her eyes in realization. Of course Kyuubi knew nothing about the people after Naruto because of it. It was sealed inside the kid for too long.

"Akatsuki... You are talking about Akatsuki aren't you, baa-chan?" Naruto paled, even more when he saw the Hokage's head nod.

"What's Akatsuki?" Kyuubi demanded slowly.

"A group of nine S-class missing nin that we know only a little bit about but what we know will probably interest you," Tsunade said slowly looking right at the demon in the eyes. "They intend to capture the most powerful of demons for their own purposes. And you are at the top of their list."

The demon looked at Tsunade for a moment and was about to burst out laughing, but one thing stopped her. The Yondaime had managed it already, so it could happen again. Instead of laughing she turned to regard Naruto. "I take it they're after the brat?"

"They nearly got me that time," Naruto said, shivering. "Not even Ero-sannin could defeat them, only force them to retreat and he got lucky. And it was only two of them."

Kyuubi cursed under her breath and turned to glare at Tsunade. "Fine..." She said through clenched teeth.

Tsunade smiled but then dropped it when seeing Tenten's worried look. "Yes?"

"Um. Can I ask why I got picked to be in this team?" Tenten asked.

"Because your team is about to be disbanded and I did not think you were being trained properly."

"... Oh," Tenten did breath a slight breath of relief, figuring that part out on her own but glad for confirmation.

"Do you have any problems with this placement?" Tsunade asked.

"Um, no. Little worried yes but no problems," Tenten said as strongly as she could.

_The fear will die down soon enough, _Tsunade thought as she looked to Anko. "They are all yours."

Anko grinned at that and turned to Naruto and Tenten. "We're going to have so much fun!" She cried excitedly in a way that reminded Tenten of Naruto. She reached down to the desk and threw the forehead protector back to Kyuubi, who eyed it with distaste. "You have to wear it," the Jounin said with a smirk.

"Yeah Aunty, you gotta," Naruto said with a small smirk.

Tenten kept quiet though. So what if the demon had been made to not attack them. There were still plenty of ways for it to make people's lives hell weren't there? _Not to mention I'm on her team._

Kyuubi glared at Naruto for the teasing and closed her fist around the protector. She didn't put it on, but she didn't throw it away either.

-----

About an hour later, Naruto and his new team found themselves one of the training grounds. _Feels odd. Being on a team without Kakashi-sensei, Sakura-chan, and Sasuke._ He thought. However when left to alternative of being benched without a team, he realized he'd get over the feeling soon enough. Besides with setup, at least there was a reason for the Kyuubi having to be around him all the time, not like that would stop her anyway. At least he just wouldn't have to look for his 'shadow'.

As for Tenten, she seemed to be doing, well rather well considering what she just got told. Naruto really didn't know her that well, other than the fact she had been on Neji and Lee's team. He got the feeling that was mutual, but realized he'd have to work on getting to know her now that they were on the same team._ I just hope the fox doesn't try to scare her. _Though he had no way of knowing what the demon would do. Her attitudes seemed to vary depending on who was with him, though it was never a pleasent attitude.

Just another thing he'd have to endure to achieve his dream of being Hokage.

"Okay, I believe you know the drill so I won't waste my time explaining this exercise," Anko said as she fished a couple of bells from her coat and showed them to her new Genin, a smirk on her face.

"This is a joke, right?" Tenten asked. "I mean, we've both done this exercise already." She looked to Naruto. "You did do this one, right?"

"Yeah. So why are we doing it now, unless the foxgirl is part of this exercise?" Naruto questioned.

"Are you nuts?" Anko asked with a laugh. "There's no way I'm giving her a shot at me," she said pointing at the confused Kyuubi. "No, you two are on your own. I want to see what I have to work with."

"Well at least it won't be a piece of cake then," Tenten said somewhat relieved.

"So when do we start?" Naruto asked.

Anko's eyes gleamed with mischief as she tied the bells to her belt. "Whenever you're ready. And please, don't even think of holding back."

"Alright then," Naruto smiled as he made the seals. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

The Jounin raised an eyebrow at the advanced technique but said nothing, standing where she was and studying the ninja in front of her carefully.

There were about ten Naruto clones now looking right at Anko. "Ready or not here we come!" They said before charging.

Tenten however held back. _Why does this look so familiar?_ She sighed, remembering her first time at this.

Kyuubi rolled her eyes at the straight-forward attack and leaned back against a tree to watch the fight. Or what promised to be a rather short fight.

Anko remained unmoving for a couple of seconds more before raising her right arm. From her right sleeve a dozen snakes surged forth.

"What the?!" A clone said before it dissolved. Several them got hit before the remaining three got away and were back to where Tenten was. Looking back at her, Naruto and his clones hung their heads. "Stupid. Stupid. Stupid."

"Hai," Tenten said with a slight smile. "Ready to try again?"

"Yeah," Naruto nodded, but then felt himself being dragged away by Tenten, "Oi! Oi! Oi! What are you doing?"

"Honestly, are all boys this clueless when starting out?" Tenten asked aloud as she took Naruto into the trees with her.

Anko exchanged an amused glance with Kyuubi at this. At least the girl had a good head on her shoulders. Naruto had all the subtlety and common sense of a volcano.

-----

"Ouch! Why did you..." Naruto felt Tenten put her hand to his mouth.

"Will you shut up! She will hear you!" Tenten whispered. "Honestly, it's absolutely amazing how you were able to beat Neji back in the Chunnin exam." She gave an exasperated sigh.

"Why are we here in the trees though?" Naruto asked.

"To find a way to attack on both sides. We should be able to do something to distract her. Remember we just have to get her bells." Tenten reminded him.

"Yeah," Naruto nodded.

"So I can use my weapons to attack her while you can use your Kage Bunshin to try to get at her. Assuming you can make them in peace."

"I'll need to move away a little. But if this doesn't work or like you run out of weapons what are you going to use then?" Naruto asked.

Tenten didn't say anything at all. Whether by shame or embarrassment the loudmouthed ninja couldn't figure out. "Come on Super Fuzzy Eyebrows must have taught you something cool."

"Other than higher than normal Genin skill in Taijutsu... how to run up trees," She mutters softly. She blinked when she saw Naruto fall face first into the ground. "Can we talk about this later?"

_Oh yes. There will be a later._ Naruto vowed.

-----

Anko was waiting for now fifteen minutes for something to happen. Stifling a yawn she took a step back.

And felt her left foot step on something. She moved out of the way before a barrage of kunai came her way. As soon as she moved in another direction though the sound of shuriken came at her way.

The Jounin smiled inwardly, at least Tenten seemed to show promise with weapons. She didn't move out of the way fast enough and most of the shuriken imbedded themselves on her back... Only for a small cloud of smoke to appear. A log fell to the ground.

_A Kawarimi?_ Tenten frowned as she tried to keep up with finding the Jounin. Her traps were still armed and she had weapons ready to be pulled from her scrolls when needed. For now she was on the move, staying in the trees, trying to find Anko.

Anko for her part moved through the shadows of another tree silently, a kunai in each hand and at the ready, as she looked for the long-ranged shinobi. She wanted to test Tenten's close-quarters fighting skills, as well as her Genjutsu.

Tenten for her part decided to spring one of her traps from a distance twenty feet away. The trap fired off a hail of kunai. The trick here was to hope that Anko would end up following the sound and thus give Tenten a view of her location.

Anko's eyes studied the attack and she did start to move in that direction, but she made no move to return the offensive yet. A ninja's greatest tool, even if she mostly ignored it in her less serious fights, was surprise. She didn't want to reveal her position just yet.

Tenten kept her eyes focused on the direction watching and waiting. Anko wouldn't fall for simple tricks. So in cases like this, you need to have more bait.

"OI! ANKO-CHAN!!!"

Tenten smiled when she heard him calling out from on top of a tree. He might have a thick skull but...

Anko couldn't help but smirk as she turned to the side and saw him. As if the orange outfit didn't give him away enough, there stood Naruto on top of a tree waving at where he thought she was. She was sure that was just a Kage Bunshin, but it was still so like the loud ninja to do something like that. And who was she to ruin his fun?

A flying kunai hit the waving kid in the back, giving away the position of the smirking Anko, who was kneeling on a tree branch not too far away.

The Kage Bunshin vanished but then a hail storm of shuriken and kunai came right at Anko.

_Gotcha!_ Tenten smirked as she was already on the move even while her weapons had been thrown but keeping in the trees. If Anko did pull off another replacement technique, she wanted to be able to see the position.

_Let's see how good you are at Genjutsu, girl,_ Anko thought as she formed a couple of seals. The thrown projectiles reached their target and missed by a hair's breath, Anko having sunk into the wood of the branch she was standing on.

_What? Where did she go?_ Tenten asked, trying to find her. _How did she sink into the wood?_

Just as this happened Anko grinned as she heard the rustle of some leaves and spotted Tenten's position. She quickly started to make her way towards the girl.

Tenten heard footsteps then and shot off her kunai into the area but hit nothing. Now she was becoming worried.

The area she was in suddenly seemed to become much darker, as if clouds suddenly came out of nowhere and obscured the light of the sun.

Tenten frowned now as she realized that this was too coincidental here. Her mind however came to one terrible conclusion. _Genjutsu. And I know just about jack about it._ Gai-sensei could put you through lots and lots of physical trials, but as far as ninjutsu and Genjutsu went... She was screwed.

And that was precisely the case now, as Tenten could see snakes start to emerge from the tree branch she was standing on. From the hissing and the movements she couldn't tell which ones were real and which ones weren't.

"Shit!" Tenten pulled her Sansetsukon and started us it to swing out at the snakes, holding it in the middle, the left and right parts of her staff separated but connected to the chain and she had them spinning now to use to protect her. At least hoped it would help in protecting her. She had virtually no training in Genjutsu. _Hence why I fell asleep the Sand/Sound attack._ Recalling a rather bitter memory. Especially when she found out Gai-sensei wasn't affected at all.

"Nice, but I'm back here," Anko's playful voice was heard just as Tenten felt a kunai pressed against her throat. The Jounin used the illusion of the snakes as a distraction to sneak her way behind the girl and capture her in a hold.

"Shit," Tenten cursed. She had been checkmated. She was dead. She...

"Thank you, Anko-chan!"

Tenten's eyes widened as she saw a bird from a branch above them just turn into Naruto, who gripped Anko's hand and pulled it away from Tenten's throat. The smirk on the fox boy's face was big as suddenly something came from the trees below.

"U..." An uppercut to Anko's jaw brought her up. And other Kage Bunshin began to strike out to attack. "Zu...Ma... Ki..."

Naruto was now above the Jounin. "NARUTO RENDAN!!!" he shouted, dropping the leg to the back of her head and sending her flying back down through the trees.

Tenten stared in almost disbelief as she saw some of the Narutos come down to her. "How did you...?"

"I got a lot of Kage Bunshin," the former demon container smirked. He then sobered. "Man, Super Fuzzy Eyebrows taught you nothing did he? I might not be able to dispel Genjutsu but I can still see it."

That made Tenten feel even lower but put it aside. "Did you get the bells?"

"Of course I got the bells," Naruto smirked putting out his hand. "Do you think I'm stupid?"

Tenten looked at his open hand and frowned. "Those are acorns in your hand, not bells."

"... WHAT?!" Naruto exclaimed, looking at his open hand to see what he had were in fact acorns and not the bells. "But... But I saw them! I had them!"

"Nice try, brat," Anko cried happily from her comfortable perch a couple of branches away, where she was sitting with her legs crossed. These two didn't even come close to actually getting her, but they were definitely entertaining.

Down bellow Naruto could see another log crashed on the ground.

Naruto's eyes widened. "What! But I hit you dead on! How could possibly have had time for the replacement technique!"

"I was never there," Anko replied with a pout. "Man, your Genjutsu sucks ass."

Tenten frowned. This was much harder than the test Gai-sensei had put her through. If anything she thought it would have been easier, since had nearly two years experience as a Genin under her belt. Instead it was like she was just right out of the academy. And getting told off by Anko...

It was making her something she hadn't felt in a long time.

Angry.

She pulled out her two scrolls and looked at Naruto. "How many you got?"

"More than enough." Naruto said, seeing the look in the girl's eye was something he saw in himself more often than not.

"Get going. I'll lead." She said and saw Naruto run off. She then opened up her scrolls. "SOSHORYU!" She cried out leaping up into the air and unfurling her scrolls.

From the scrolls came any and all type of weapons Anko could even think of with Tenten in the air and she motioned with her hands and all of that weaponry was sent at her. She of course dodged it but then saw it coming right back at her. Wherever she moved it followed her. She noticed Tenten's hands moving as well as if to keep up with her.

The Jounin grinned as she was having a great time and suddenly lunged forward and towards Tenten. She thrust both her arms forward and snakes burst forth from her sleeves, snagging the few weapons she couldn't dodge and going directly to tie up the Genin.

As Tenten saw the snakes however she just smiled though.

"RASENGAN!"

Anko felt her footing drop as the tree branch she was on suddenly fell forward, falling as she looked down and saw the tree she had been on had been broken through.

"Now we got you!" Naruto shouted, coming in for an attack but Anko dodged only to find something swing around her right wrist. Looking back she saw Tenten on the move, using wires now to try to keep her restrained as Naruto went for the target. The bells.

_Nice, _Anko thought as she pondered on whether to allow the kids a small victory or not. She could get away from this trap, yet to do so she'd have to use some high level Ninjutsu. In the end Naruto snatched the bells from her belt, but she didn't allow him victory without embarrassment. She angled her body so his hand touched something else in his swipe. "Ooh... Naruto-kun! How forward of you!"

"Uh... AHH!!!" Naruto exclaimed as he saw his hand on Anko's breast. The act made him topple over and fall into the woods. _I'm not like Ero-sannin!_ Were his thoughts before he fell head first into the ground.

Tenten winced. "That **had **to hurt."

Anko burst out laughing at that, not at all bothered by the action and showing just how shameless she really was. She was going to have so much fun with this brat!

Naruto started to get up, shaking his head and looking back up to Anko. This was going to be hell. _But you know what they say. That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger._

Tenten looked down and saw the damage done, however. Her eyes widened as she saw it. That tree Anko had been on had been huge, yet Naruto blew out more than half of the trunk, which left a circular hole there. She knew he was strong just from beating Neji... But doing something like that in one move... And she hadn't even seen it.

"Do you know how to do anything without those silly toys of yours?" A female voice suddenly asked from right behind Tenten.

Tenten froze and turned around to see the Kyuubi staring behind her. Fear crept in a bit before she bit it back down and tried to show a brave front. "All of the stuff they taught us in the academy, how to run up trees, basic hand to hand..." She saw the look on the Kyuubi's face and then a half-embarrassed, half-ashamed look came across her face. "Nothing else." She lowered her head in shame.

The woman continued to stare at the girl as she leaned back against the trunk of the tree with her arms crossed over her chest. "So you suck," she said bluntly, not without noticing Tenten was doing a remarkable job of hiding her fear from her.

"I don't suck," Tenten rebuffed. She didn't suck... She just didn't have as much experience as she should have.

"You don't, do you?" The Kyuubi asked in obvious amusement, finding the girl lacking.

Tenten bit back fear, trying to say something but coming up short. The Kyuubi was enjoying her discomfort.

"Will you lay off, Auntie?" Naruto said coming behind the Kyuubi. "It's not her fault. Not entirely anyway."

The demon snorted and lazily turned to regard the blond shinobi. "You're not much better off yourself, brat. You're so reckless it's only because of me you're still alive."

Naruto sighed. "You love to brag. Your chakra helped me beat Gaara, you brought me back after Sasuke killed me. How many times can you say the same...?" he trailed off as he saw Tenten's face and remembered what he just said. He slapped his hand over his face. "I really am an idiot sometimes."

"You... You were killed by Uchiha Sasuke..." the kunoichi said with wide eyes, when looking back at the Kyuubi. "... And you brought him back from the dead?" The whole back from the dead part was a shocker on a whole other level.

The Kyuubi rolled her eyes at the shocked look directed her way. "I've done a lot of things in my life, and bringing this idiotic brat back to life isn't that impressive," she said as if it didn't matter. "And I'm not bragging. That was just a hint of my power."

Tenten felt overwhelmed now. _In a way, it's worse than when I was with Neji and Lee. I'm really overshadowed here. _Even so, it would be best just to say with this for a while. If worst came to worse, she could always ask for a return to her old team.

Yet something told her, this arrangement was going to help her. Immensely.

"Hey, where did Anko-chan go?" Naruto asked, looking for their Jounin.

"So it's Anko-chan now?" The Jounin asked with a beaming smile as she walked up the tree towards the group. "Naruto-kun, you move so fast with women." Her smile turned sultry. "I like that in a man."

Naruto frowned. "Only person I call sensei has been Kakashi-sensei. I don't even call Ero-sannin sensei. I ain't calling you Anko-sensei until I feel like it."

Anko stopped her walking and blinked her eyes. "And why the hell would I _want _you to call me sensei?"

"What, you aren't going to teach us anything?" Naruto asked. "Isn't that part of your job?"

"I will be teaching you alright," Anko said crossly. "But why call me sensei when Anko-chan sounds so much better?" The Jounin asked with a smirk.

Naruto gave a small smirk back. _Something to know for annoying her later then._

"So..." Anko said as she stepped around the branch and stood next to her three Genin. "You two passed the bell test. Nice teamwork, though you both need some serious work on Genjutsu and Taijutsu."

Naruto knew that was true. His Taijutsu wasn't that bad but his Genjutsu was bad, if for the fact that he couldn't dispel the illusion.

As for Tenten herself, as much as she hated to admit it, the demon was right about her. Take away her weapons and she was left at a considerable disadvantage.

Anko seemed to ponder something for a moment and then grinned. "I'll just have to teach you guys some neat tricks, huh?"

Tenten's eyes were looking up, hoping that that would actually happen. As for Naruto, he was wondering just what Anko would teach them and he could pick up.

Meanwhile the Kyuubi was just looking bored._ Idiots, _she thought to herself.

"So what now, Mitarashi-san?" Tenten asked.

Anko grimaced at the way she was addressed. "Well, I was thinking of having you two started on a couple of chakra control exercises, but to do that I need to see how much chakra you have."

Naruto just smirked. "Easy way to show that," He put his hands together. "Taiju Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Smoke erupted and soon the entire immediate area became filled with Naruto's Kage Bunshin…

Anko looked around, quite impressed with the feat Naruto just pulled off. "Not bad, brat." He definitely had a lot of chakra. On par with most Jounin.

The Jounin then turned to Tenten and raised an eyebrow. "Now how about you, girl? I've noticed you use chakra to get your weapons out, right?"

"Yeah, I do," Tenten said, fidgeting a little bit. "I don't know any ninjutsu other than summoning weapons."

"Have you had the water-walking training yet?" Anko asked.

Tenten lowered her head and Naruto's eyes widened. _You have got to be kidding me?! _Naruto said to himself in disbelief.

Anko shrugged. "I can see Gai hasn't changed much. I bet in a straight fight you could kick Naruto's ass, no problem."

"Eh?" Naruto blinked. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"That if you two were to fight it out with no Ninjutsu or Genjutsu Tenten would beat your ass into the ground," Anko said flatly. "Gai doesn't train well-rounded shinobi, but his Taijutsu is very good. The best in Konoha."

Naruto stared over at Tenten who cracked her knuckles a little, as if to intimidate. Naruto had to admit at least considering how Lee and Neji were, even if Gai didn't spend much time with her in comparison to the rest of her teammates, she'd probably have better Taijutsu than him.

"So what do you want me to do then to show how much chakra I have?" Tenten asked.

Anko thought about it for a moment and shrugged. "I guess first we have to teach you a couple of things. Make you a little more well-rounded, but without letting your Taijutsu suffer."

Inwardly, Tenten felt excited in learning new arts but didn't let show, at least not that much. She didn't want to be seen like a little girl. "Like what then?"

Anko laughed and waved it off. "We'll get to it tomorrow. Right now we should relax and go get something to eat. You only live once, you know?"

"Or twice in my case," Naruto mentioned.

"Whatever. You're alive, so the same applies," Anko said cheerfully. "Now let's go!"

"Okay... Anko-sensei," Naruto smirked as he ran off.

Anko shook her head. How did Tsunade put up with the brat, anyway?

Tenten let out a sigh. _At least things won't be boring around here._

"I want to talk to you," Kyuubi suddenly said to Tenten, once Anko had gone ahead to follow Naruto.

"Eh?" Tenten blinked, turning around to face the Kyuubi. "You, want to talk to me?"

"You have a problem with that?" Kyuubi asked with a frown.

Tenten shook her head vigorously. "No. No. No problem at all."

Kyuubi nodded her head slowly, her eyes boring into the girl in front of her. "I won't waste my time beating around the bush with you, brat. You're weak. You need to get stronger if you want to be on this team or I'll find a way to get rid of you."

Tenten felt the fear stronger than ever in her and felt something very large in her throat now. She was barely able to squeak out, "H-hai."

The demon nodded once she decided the girl was sufficiently cowed and walked after Naruto and Anko as if nothing was wrong, thinking that if she had put the slightest bit of killer intent in her words Tenten would've soiled herself.

** To Be Continued...**


	5. Chapter 5

_**Disclaimer:**__ Neither I nor my co author own Naruto. There's nothing more to say than that. This story is a collaboration effort between me and Drakuzz. For those of you that have read our first collaboration Twin Troubles, we hope you'll come enjoy this tale. For those of you that haven't, we also hope you enjoy this as well. _

**Diverging Paths  
****By David Knight and Drakuzz**

**Chapter Five: A Short Interlude**

Kabuto stood on the bridge, wrapped in a cloak and awaiting the arrival of his 'master'. Being a double agent without even knowing it... Well it just one of the things he was grateful to Orochimaru-sama for correcting. _Having my own free will thanks to a snake. Some might find that statement an oxymoron._ He frowned however as it felt too long. _Where is Sasori?_ If they had learned he was no longer loyal to Akatasuki, this could be nothing more than a simple execution.

"Kabuto," a male voice was heard from the shadows. The voice, however, clearly didn't belong to Sasori.

Kabuto's eyes widened behind his glasses as he saw someone he did not expect come out. "Well well. This is surprise. I wasn't expecting you, Itachi-san." He thought it best to leave out the baits in this encounter. Itachi was no where near as soft as Sasuke.

The elder Uchiha stepped out of the shadows, clad in the Akatsuki robes, and stared coldly at Orochimaru's second in command. "I didn't summon you here so we could exchange pleasantries."

"Then what did you come to speak about?" Kabuto asked. "It's not as if I can stay here forever. If Orochimaru finds out about this I am as good as dead, no matter how much he values my skills. So what do you have to tell me?"

"What is Orochimaru planning to do with my little brother now that he has released the true Sharingan?" Itachi asked.

Kabuto blinked for a moment, surprised that Itachi would ask about that but let out a small smile. "Absolutely nothing, considering that Sasuke-kun is not with us."

"Really now?" The Akatsuki member asked. He truly did think Sasuke would be stupid enough to go to Orochimaru. "The reports say he headed into Sound territory after defeating the Kyuubi container."

"That may have been his intent initially. However I believe that killing Naruto-kun affected Sasuke-kun greatly. He's been killing Sound nin. A total of seventeen genin and five chunnin. Before I left to meet with you I received a report that said he had just passed through the northern border. It's safe to say at this point that he has no intention of joining Orochimaru."

Itachi remained impassive at the news. "And Orochimaru has done little to retrieve his next vessel. He is as much of a fool as he has always been, underestimating everyone around him."

"He's sent hunter nins to only observe Sasuke-kun at this point now," Kabuto continued. "As he cannot transfer over to another body for three years, he thinks it would be 'entertaining' to see how Sasuke-kun would fare for that time on his own."

"He's giving Sasuke time to grow stronger. He's foolish," Itachi remarked. "Just as foolish as he was by trying to enhance the seal on Uzumaki Naruto, thinking no one else would be able to undo what he did."

"You don't seem that bothered by your brother's escape," Kabuto said adjusting his glasses.

"It is of little consequence to our plans," Itachi replied emotionlessly. "After his fight against the Kyuubi vessel his usefulness to us was over."

"I don't understand. He's killed Naruto-kun which has killed the Kyuubi. If anything I would have thought the organization would have wanted you to kill him for that."

"It has killed the Kyuubi? You understand little of the true magnitude of the power of the demon, Kabuto," Itachi said.

Kabuto blinked several times before speaking. "Are you saying that Naruto-kun is still alive? Because correct me if I am wrong Itachi-san, but in order to obtain the Mangekyou, one must kill his best friend. How else could Sasuke-kun achieve it?"

Itachi didn't contradict Kabuto, for that was indeed the only way to get the Mangekyou. "Uzumaki is indeed still alive, though he is of no more interest to us."

Now Kabuto was confused. How could Naruto-kun not be of interest to Akatsuki, he was the holder of the Kyuubi... Wasn't he? "Are you saying the Kyuubi is no longer a part of him?"

"The seal has been broken somehow," Itachi confirmed.

"Then where is the Kyuubi now?" Kabuto asked. Destroying Konoha was probably on the top of its list of things to do, which would probably piss off Orochimaru-sama, seeing as he wanted to burn Konoha to the ground himself.

"The last reports we have were of it entering Konoha," Itachi said, and it was obvious that was the last bit of information Kabuto would get from the Akatsuki member.

"Well.. As informative as this has been, I need to get back before I am missed," Kabuto said. "Unless there's something else I need to be told about or given any other orders."

The Akatsuki member remained silent, his eyes seeming to bore holes into Kabuto.

"I'll take that as a no. Sayonara, Itachi-san," Kabuto said, turning around and walking away. He knew if Itachi wanted him dead, Itachi would kill him at any time. If Kabuto walked away with his life, then he was safe and they knew nothing.

Itachi said nothing, vanishing in the shadows as he had other matters to attend to.

Kabuto felt his presence leave but did not breathe a sigh of relief. He knew he had managed to come out with his life. He would need to be even more careful for the future.

_But this was definitely an enlightening conversation._ Kabuto smirked. The question was, how much information to give out. As he headed back to Hidden Sound, he did have a passing thought for Sasuke. Wondering what the missing-nin's next move would be now.

----

Even though they had managed to leave Sound Country nearly a day ago, Sasuke didn't stop his pace for a bit, simply because he didn't want to be followed, not even by hunter nins. Thankfully he thought it wasn't the case. He and Asuka had managed to get some sleep and had gotten up in the morning.

He was relying on her still, because he had never been outside of Fire Country much.

Asuka on her part had taken very well to the lighter pace While young and not in bad shape, she had nowhere near the conditioning even shinobi from the Academy had. She was still a little nervous around the Uchiha boy, but once the shock had worn off she'd relaxed a lot.

Sasuke had kept quiet while they rested he had taken a more detailed look at that healing scroll that Kabuto had left him. Considering his situation learning healing jutus would be a necessity. However learning to heal would be hard. That much was certain from reading what he had. It would take a month if not more to figure out how to use a low level jutsu on that scroll.

_Even so, it's worth it._ Sasuke said to himself. As far as the other scroll went, he had not gotten around to looking at it yet. Maybe it was somewhat out of hesitance, not to mention not understanding Kabuto's motives in what he did. He was supposed to be Orochimaru's right hand. By that fact alone, he should have done everything his power to drag Sasuke right to the snake.

"So why the hell did he let me go?" He muttered.

"Sasuke?" Asuka asked as she walked next to him, having heard his words.

Sasuke looked back and sighed. "Just thinking about why the snake's right hand let us walk away. I came up with nothing. What makes even less sense was giving me gifts." Getting no response yet he just sighed. "I really shouldn't be saying anything, really. Once we reach your village, there's no need to keep you involved."

"Sometimes..." Asuka said and gulped, managing a small smile. "Sometimes talking about these things helps organize your ideas."

Sasuke sighed. He decided to check over his weapon holsters and was very disappointed. He was almost out of weapons. All he had left were three shuriken. He lost his last kunai during the last fight he had in sound country, swept away in the river. "I'm in a bad position. I have only three shuriken, no supplies, no ryo, and no place to rest. Any ideas I get, I make up as I go at this point."

"You could always rest in our village for a couple of days," Asuka offered hesitantly. "We don't have much, certainly no weapons, but the rest would do you some good."

Sasuke blinked. "You're actually offering? Knowing what you know about me?"

"Well... You did help me get the herbs for my grandmother's medicine. It's only fair that I return the favor," the girl answered honestly.

"... Thank you," was all that he said.

Asuka nodded and turned ahead with a smile, knowing that pretty soon they would be reaching home. She was going to be lectured into the ground for leaving, but she'd be able to cure her grandmother. That would be worth it.

As they walked and Sasuke could see some smoke in the distance, signifying their nearing the village, Asuka turned to regard him. "Is there any way you can leave your weapons outside the village?"

"Why?" Sasuke asked flatly.

"We don't have any ninja in the village, and it would make everyone nervous to have one visit," Asuka explained.

"Technically, I'm a missing-nin at the moment," Sasuke started to say but frowned. "I actually think that's worse in this case." Looking upward, he saw a tree that was tall and ran right up to the top. Putting in a small bag the last of his shuriken, he tied it to the tree and then ran back down to Asuka. "Done. Anything else?"

She shook her head and smiled. "Just try to act natural and relax. We haven't had shinobi in the village for years."

"Relax," Sasuke said rolling his eyes. _As if I have the luxury._

The two kids walked for twenty minutes more and pretty soon they reached the first houses of what turned out to be a rather small village. Several people blinked their eyes and smiled at Asuka, waving at the girl, while others gave Sasuke guarded looks. None of the looks were hostile, however.

"Your village doesn't take kindly to outsiders do they?" Sasuke asked.

"They just aren't used to them. We're so out of the way that we don't get many visitors," Asuka explained as she walked towards her house, which was on the other side of town. "Don't worry, they'll warm up to you soon."

"I don't think I'll be here that long," Sasuke replied. In all honesty, he expected he'd be here for only a few days, and then continue on his way into Hidden Cloud. He stopped for a moment. "Can you do something for me?" Asuka blinked as he pulled back his collar. "Look at my neck and back and tell me what you see as far as markings."

Asuka blinked and examined his neck. "Well... It looks like you have a tattoo there."

"It's a cursed seal. One Orochimaru gave me when he bit me in the neck," Sasuke said bitterly.

"... Is there any way to take it off?" The girl asked, studying the seal more closely now.

"No. Not even Sandaime knew of a way to remove the cursed seal. It gives you power but it erodes your body," Sasuke explained, disgusted that he once wanted the power this seal gave him. It was nothing but a cheap and deadly trick. "The only thing that had been maintaining was a circular binding seal around the three dots. My sensei placed it on me shortly after I survived the receiving of the thing. I say survive, because there's only a one in ten chance for the person who receives it to live through the experience." He sighed. "Problem is, it's been shattered and while it's easier for me to draw out power it's harder for me not to."

Asuka looked at the seal some more. "... Maybe my grandmother knows of a way to help you. She's the best healer in the village."

_Somehow, I very much doubt that._ Sasuke thought to himself. The odds of such a thing happening were slim to none.

The girl finally took her attention away from the seal and turned back to walking. "Remember, no talking about what you do for a living while we're here."

"Know any place secluded?" Sasuke asked her. At her stare he added, "I am not lacking in training. Even if I can use my ninjutsu I'll at least practice my taijutsu."

Asuka just pointed all around. "Just get far enough from the village."

"Fine," Sasuke said, continuing to walk with her. Later he'd start training and he had some ideas on how to start.

At long last they reached a small house and Asuka stopped, hesitating slightly as she knew she was going to get grounded at the very least.

"Not looking forward to it are you?" Sasuke asked.

"Well... I kind of left without telling anyone..." Asuka said a little hesitantly.

"Stupid in going on principle, smart in not telling or even leaving a note because you would have been tracked down before you even made it to the sound border."

Asuka took a deep breath and firmed her resolve. She was back with what was needed. It made no sense to stop now. "Let's go," she said as she walked towards the small house.

Sasuke said nothing and followed her but said one thing. "Just for the record, we are keeping my being a ninja a secret from them, correct?"

"If we can," Asuka nodded.

"Good," was his response.

Together they finally reached the house and Asuka gulped before opening the front door. "I'm home!" She announced as she stepped in, knowing that she was so going to get it.

As soon as she said those words a frantic female voice was heard, followed by the sound of rushing feet coming towards the small rustic receiving room. "Asuka!"

Almost by reflex Sasuke went to his holster, but realized that he had no kunai, plus he was supposed to be acting as if he was just a twelve year old kid. Something that could be somewhat difficult considering.

Asuka cringed as an older woman rushed into the room and was almost instantly upon her, catching her in a crushing hug and reprimanding her incoherently. The girl would've said something in her defense too, if she wasn't trying to get away from the overzealous woman to get a chance to breathe.

Sasuke looked away, as seeing that embrace meant one thing to him. And it was something he'd rather not see, less he wanted to bring up memories that would only bring up pain.

As the rather emotional scene took place, much to Asuka's embarrassment, Sasuke could see an old woman walk down the hall towards them as well. Her walk, however, was slow and full of effort.

_She is not well,_ Sasuke said to himself looking on.

The old woman stopped by the hall, not entering the room but contenting herself with watching the scene from where she stood.

Finally, after the younger woman managed to control herself enough, she pulled back and glared at Asuka. "What have you to say for yourself, young lady?"

Asuka looked visibly uncomfortable at the question, yet she managed to answer. "I brought the herbs back."

Sasuke watched on, not having anything important to contribute. After all it wasn't his family. Still, Asuka looked uncomfortable as hell.

Asuka's mother was about to continue her lecture when she noticed Sasuke for the first time. She blinked her eyes and stood up. "Well hello there, young man."

"Hello," was Sasuke's simple reply.

"Mom... This is Sasuke. He found me when I was searching for the herbs and helped me get back to the village," Asuka said, obviously leaving out how exactly he helped her.

"Is that so?" The older woman asked and then turned to Sasuke, smiling. "It would seem we are in your debt, Sasuke-san. Thank you for bringing my daughter home."

"Mom!" Asuka protested. She almost made it sound like she Sasuke did all the job.

"It wasn't that big of a deal," Sasuke said, shrugging his shoulders.

"You still helped my daughter." The woman turned to regard her daughter for a moment, then turned to Sasuke. "Did she give you a lot of trouble?"

Asuka just let out a tired sigh and sulked. Why did her mother have to put her down like this?

"No," was his curt response.

"You are the silent type, huh? Oh, but where are my manners? I'm Tokoro Yoriko," Asuka's mother introduced herself with a bow.

Sasuke returned the gesture but didn't give his name. Asuka had already said it and he wasn't about to give out his family name. Even out here, the name of Uchiha could and would cause problems for him. If not at once then down the road.

If it bothered Yoriko that she didn't get Sasuke's family name she gave no sign of it. Instead she sighed good-naturedly as she turned to regard her daughter, who looked abashed enough after being embarrassed in front of Sasuke and reprimanded for disappearing like that without telling anyone. "Are you two hungry?"

"A little," Sasuke said to her.

"Let me prepare something for you. Asuka, be a dear and give the herbs to your grandmother while I give Sasuke-san something to drink," Yoriko said.

"Yes, mom!" Asuka said excitedly as she gave Sasuke a nod before rushing to the old woman that stood silently on the hall.

Yoriko watched her daughter rush off and help her own mother walk down the hall to her room and smiled. Even as upset as she was with her daughter for her stupidity, she was happy. With that very same smile she turned to regard the young man that helped her little one to return safely. "Would you like a glass of water, Sasuke-san? A cup of tea?"

"Water would be fine," Sasuke said to her.

Yoriko nodded and led Sasuke to the kitchen. While the small family wasn't well off, they did have all they needed. The woman served a glass of water from a pitcher and handed the glass to the boy.

"Thank you," Sasuke said taking the glass and taking a seat. "Is there anyone else here?"

Yoriko blinked her eyes as she sat down and motioned for Sasuke to do the same. "Whatever do you mean, Sasuke-san?"

"Does anyone else live here besides you, Asuka and her grandmother?" Sasuke asked.

The woman smiled faintly and shook her head. "I'm afraid not. Not since several years ago."

Sasuke didn't ask. He had an idea of what she meant by that. "I'm sorry."

"You couldn't have known," Yoriko said with a smile. "That's why when Asuka disappeared I was so worried. I'm happy she cares so much about my mother that she would risk her life... But she's so being grounded for the next six months."

"I think she'd find that a small price to pay to save her life," Sasuke said simply.

"That she would," Yoriko agreed. "So, Sasuke-san. Where are you going that you would run into my daughter? And in the middle of Sound territory no less?" The woman asked inquisitively.

Sasuke wasn't sure what to say for a moment. He was still thinking like a ninja even though he was talking to a simple housewife. "Heading into Thunder Country. I had to cut through Sound."

"Such a young boy traveling all by himself," Yoriko said.

"It's not a problem for me," Sasuke said simply, looking away. "Loneliness is something I've dealt with for nearly half of my life now."

The woman's eyes widened slightly in alarm. "I'm so sorry!"

"There's nothing to be sorry about," Sasuke said calmly, looking back to Yoriko. "Be thankful for what you have in your life."

"I am," the woman said truthfully, for even if she had lost her husband she still had their daughter to remind her of him. Deciding that a change of subject was needed the woman leaned back slightly on her seat. "So you're traveling to Thunder country. What do you need there, if I may ask?"

"No reason," Sasuke said. "Just feel like a change in scenery."

Yoriko said nothing, but she found it extremely suspicious that a boy Sasuke's age would be traveling all alone through Sound territory. Still, he had helped Asuka get home so he was to be an honored guest. "Well, for as long as you decide to stay you can make yourself at home."

"Thank you. I'll only stay for a few days, long enough to look around for supplies, and then be on my way," Sasuke said to her. "I don't wish to be an inconvenience."

"Please do me a favor, Sasuke-san. Don't feel like one," the woman said with a smile. "As I said, you're welcome to stay for as long as you want. We don't have much in our village, but it is peaceful."

"... Peace is something I can never have," Sasuke muttered softly. He then got up. "Excuse me." Sasuke said as he walked away and went to go see where Asuka was.

The house was relatively small, with only three bedrooms. Sasuke didn't have trouble finding Asuka and her grandmother in one of the rooms, the old woman going through the herbs calmly as the girl watched avidly while sitting on the floor.

"How's it going?" Sasuke asked.

Asuka turned from her grandmother and smiled at Sasuke. "The herbs are good for the medicine!"

The old woman smiled at Asuka's cheerfulness and nodded in greeting at the boy, her aged hands cataloguing what was needed to prepare the medicine. This would also be a good opportunity to teach Asuka how to make this particular kind.

"That's good to know," Sasuke said, glad that he had managed to help someone. It felt like the first decent thing he had done in a while now.

The girl blinked her eyes and realized she was just sitting there with Sasuke standing by the doorway. She turned to her grandmother, who seemed to read her thoughts. "Please step in, young man," she said slowly.

Sasuke nodded and walked into the room.

The old woman studied the boy calmly with a gaze full of the wisdom that only came with age. It took all of a minute for Asuka's grandmother to see the signs in Sasuke, which to her were actually screaming. "You're a shinobi."

Sasuke blinked before realizing this woman knew. "Yes."

Asuka turned to regard her grandmother in surprise. "How do you know?"

The old woman cracked a smile. "Just by the way he handles himself, and by the look in his eyes. No boy his age has those characteristics."

"You're very wise," Sasuke said with a half grin, leaning back against the wall, falling back into his regular self. The fact that he could act as he was around the old woman, while not mentioning certain things, was a relief.

"I'm very old," the woman returned in amusement. "And observant, which is a must for a healer. I can also see your walk out of Sound territory wasn't as easy as Asuka made my daughter believe," she said, her eyes focusing on the bandage around Sasuke's arm. It had obviously been made by Asuka, for no shinobi village close by used such mixtures of herbs.

"No, it wasn't," Sasuke said to her. He decided to be honest with her. "I won't stay long. I have no intention of involving you any further by my being here."

"Sasuke..." Asuka started, not wanting him to feel like he had to leave.

The old woman shook her head and looked at him seriously. "This village hasn't seen many shinobi in the last couple of years. We are so small and out of the way very few people ever visit."

"Even so, I won't stay long. A few days at most," Sasuke said seriously. "Even if you are remote, I have no doubts about those that want me will not give up until they find me."

Asuka didn't look that happy with the words, but had to accept them. She knew Orochimaru wouldn't stop in getting Sasuke, especially since he killed a lot of his shinobi already.

"That should be enough for you to relax and recover from your wounds. Even the greatest of warriors need rest," Asuka's grandmother said.

"Thank you for understanding," Sasuke said to her.

She only nodded in response and turned to Asuka, who sighed and turned to Sasuke. "Let me show you to where you'll be staying. You must be tired."

Sasuke nodded and followed her, thinking he'd rest for now. Later he'd go and train, when it was dark.

----

Anko snorted as she finished her bowl of ramen, wondering how she allowed Naruto to convince her in coming here in the first place. She had to admit Ichiraku had some pretty good ramen, but it was still just ramen. That and the blond kid was already on his third bowl. "Hey, brat. You about done?" She asked, wondering how much she'd have to pay for this.

Naruto shook his head as he went back to eating.

Tenten just stared, never seeing anyone eat ramen like Naruto did. "Are you sure you aren't going to get sick?"

"Unhu. I've eaten three times this much once," Naruto said when he had a moment.

"That's a good boy! Don't let the pretty ladies ruin your appetite, son," old man Ichiraku said, obviously in a good mood.

Anko grinned at the remark, while Kyuubi just snorted in annoyance and crossed her arms over her chest.

Tenten idly ate the ramen at this point. She wasn't too hungry right now. The Kyuubi's words were still on her mind. A lot.

After all, it wasn't everyday that a powerful demon threatened with killing you if you didn't get stronger.

_How to go about it, though, is another matter all together._ She had strong taijutsu, even without her weapons. Good enough to handle Naruto, but nowhere near Lee or Neji.

"So what does it feel like to have your tenant outside taking a walk, brat?" Anko asked suddenly, trying to mask her interest. She knew Naruto's incredible stamina and healing abilities came from having the Kyuubi sealed inside of him, but now that the demon was no longer inside of him it must be different.

"Same as if she were behind those bars," Naruto replied. "Always around."

"Funny," Kyuubi sneered and leaned down to ruffle Naruto's hair with her hand. "You want me to teach you a lesson, brat? You've been making cracks at me ever since I got out."

"I'd like to see what you could do," Naruto remarked.

Anko raised an eyebrow but remained silent, seeing how this played out. She had no desire to relive the Kyuubi's attack on Konoha, yet at the same time she too wanted to know, really know, what the demon was capable of. It could very well save the lives of the Genin.

"So you going to teach me a lesson, Aunty Kaguya?" Naruto smirked.

Tenten had to wonder if the blonde was either brave or just plain nuts to say what he did to a demon.

Before the demon could answer to the challenge there was a sudden explosion of smoke behind them, revealing someone Tenten knew very well. "My youthful student!"

Tenten froze and then groaned. _Gai-sensei..._ She realized she was in for the inevitable. However she caught sight of Naruto, who had just stayed frozen. He was about to eat but now his hand was frozen in mid air, ramen between chopsticks... And were his eyes narrowed in anger?

Gai turned to regard Tenten then. "My beautiful student! What has befallen you that instead of training you are partaking in a meal with these fellow shinobi of ours?"

"Well um..." Tenten started to say but Naruto interrupted her.

"Tenten isn't your student any more. Deal with it," Naruto said, dropping the rest of his ramen in the bowel and looked back at Ichiraku. "Sorry Osan. I lost my appetite. Has to be a first."

Gai blinked his eyes, confused by Naruto's attitude and words. Thankfully for him Anko was there to clarify. "You mean Tsunade-sama didn't tell you?" The Jounin asked.

"Tell me what?" Gai asked.

Anko smirked. "Well, it seems like Tenten wasn't really benefiting from your training, so to correct that Tsunade-sama decided to transfer her to a new team. Mine."

"There must be a mistake!" Gai protested loudly and assumed a heroic pose. "There's no way Hokage-sama would think to take Tenten from my glorious tutelage. There's still so much I have to teach her!"

"Teach her how to die?" Naruto said coldly as he turned around, getting off the chair.

"Naruto," Tenten started to say but Naruto fixed her with a look. It wasn't anger, it felt sad but also telling her to stay out of this.

Gai blinked his eyes, not having expected that kind of response from Naruto of all people. "What are you talking about?"

"How much time do you spend with Lee?" Naruto asked point blank.

The Jounin blinked his eyes at that. "What?"

"How much time do you spend training with Lee?" Naruto repeated his question.

"Most of the day," Gai said in all honesty.

"And then with Neji?" Naruto continued.

"Very little. He spends most of his time training with Hyuga-sama," Gai answered.

Naruto smiled. "Of course. So let's review your training. Lee who was a 'dropout', like me, became someone who using only taijutsu can nearly beat Gaara. Neji and I had a damn even fight. All brilliantly done and all using taijutsu." The smile dropped. "Given all that, care to explain how your training could have allowed Tenten to get her ass kicked by Temari in under three minutes?!"

Gai became very serious as he answered. "Lee trains as hard as he does out of choice. While I would love to train Tenten more, she has her family martial art to take care of."

Naruto had one response to say to that. "Bullshit."

Anko placed her hand on Naruto's shoulder to calm him down. "Naruto, Gai is right on this one."

"You telling me it isn't because you just favor Lee over everyone else?" Naruto asked staring down Gai.

"Lee is a beautiful fighter, but even so as a responsible sensei I can't do that," Gai said solemnly.

"And what do you call not even getting around to teaching Tenten how to walk on water? I've been a ninja half as long and I know that."

Gai blinked his eyes. "Uh... She has the required chakra control to walk on water already."

"But you never taught her how to do it," Naruto said.

"Do you know how to store kunais in hidden folds of your clothes with chakra?" Gai asked.

"Um..." Naruto started to say but Tenten came over.

"Naruto-kun. Thanks," the kunochi said.

"Oro?" Naruto blinked as he saw Tenten facing Gai.

"Gai-sensei. I am grateful for what you have taught me and I have enjoyed my time with you, Lee and Neji," Tenten said honestly. "However, I agree with Hokage-sama's decision. I cannot learn anything more if I stay in your unit. I am sorry you feel otherwise."

Gai looked stricken for a moment, and Tenten feared he was about to go into one of his long and winding speeches about youth power, but he surprised her by smiling softly at her and nodding. "If that is what you want, Tenten." He grinned and gave her the nice-guy pose. "But even if you're not my direct student anymore, you can always come to me for help. Remember that."

Tenten smiled as she gave a bow. "Arigato, Gai-sensei."

Anko smirked and shook her head from the side.

Naruto looked back over to Kyuubi. "I can't believe you didn't even make an insult the entire time."

"That was so idiotic it was beyond words," Kyuubi said dryly, making Gai flinch out of his nice-guy pose and glare at her.

Naruto smiled. "And all is right with the world."

Anko chuckled as Gai continued to glare at a smirking Kyuubi, who turned from the Jounin to bop Naruto over the head.

"Ouch! Aunty do you have to do that?!" Naruto snapped.

"Shut up, brat," the demon said with a smirk.

**To Be Continued...**

_Author's Note: Short I know but personal life comes before writing for the both of us. We'll try for the next chapter to be out sooner, but make no promises. Speaking of next chapter, expect more of Team Anko and the training they go through._


	6. Chapter 6

_**Disclaimer:**__ Neither I nor my co author own Naruto. There's nothing more to say than that. This story is a collaboration effort between me and Drakuzz. For those of you that have read our first collaboration Twin Troubles, we hope you'll come enjoy this tale. For those of you that haven't, we also hope you enjoy this as well. _

**Diverging Paths  
****By David Knight and Drakuzz**

**Chapter Six: Meetings and Training**

Sasuke was traveling again, alone this time. It felt odd in a way now that some of the immediate danger was gone. For the moment he wasn't in danger from Leaf or Sound. He had no delusions about hearing the last of either power coming after him, but for now he had some peace.

_Peace. Something I though I'd not have really,_ Sasuke smiled bitterly. The last five days were almost too good to be true. Though it was acting when around Asuka's mother, it felt... Comforting to be in a family environment. Something he thought he'd never feel until after he killed Itachi and started to resurrect the clan.

Life in Asuka's village was simple. They had no fighters outside of a couple of men that were strong enough to give children at the Academy some trouble back in Konoha. It was a world so different from the one Sasuke knew.

Still, he knew it was a life that he could never live. Perhaps good enough to rest in, but for someone like him, a ninja, it wasn't enough.

He left early in the day, though at Asuka's instance had her grandmother look over his cursed seal.

The woman was surprisingly knowledgeable in seals, and told him a great deal about Orochimaru's advantages over him in placing it. She did tell him, however, that it had limitations. Such a seal was severely limited if the receiver was far away and had a strong will, so getting as far away from Orochimaru as possible was advised.

_Makes you wonder, doesn't it?_ Sasuke asked himself, as the old woman could have a few more secrets or tricks. He did realize however that the seal Kakashi had put on him was broken and any one of even Jounin level wouldn't be able to put one on that would suppress his upgraded seal. That left him with few options, the most obvious for the moment was to get the hell away from Sound and Orochimaru.

After thanking her and Asuka he had been ready to leave when the old woman had asked where his weapons were. When he mentioned he had only shuriken left, she surprised him by giving him a katana.

When asked, she said the sword wasn't much, but that it once belonged to someone in the family. Even when Asuka asked the old woman didn't give many details, just said that she hoped it would serve Sasuke well.

It was strapped across his back, along with a supply bag carrying herbs, medicine, food and his old clothes. They had had enough kindness in them to give him a clean set of clothes.

They had been that kind. In a way that he'd never thought people could be.

Asuka gave him a hug then and he stood there in shock until she let go. After saying good bye, he couldn't help but keep himself from trying to leave at full speed.

_I don't deserve it,_ Sasuke said as he walked. _I didn't deserve that kindness. I'm a murderer._

"Yes and no, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke dropped the pack and his eyes widened as he saw someone that couldn't have been there, standing from a distance in the woods. Yet he could not forget that face. "S… Sakura?"

Sakura fell into the woods. Before he even realized it, he grabbed his bag and ran after her. "Sakura! Sakura wait!" He rushed into the woods calling out to her, trying to find the Leaf kunoichi but found no trace of her. It was if she had never been there.

That was all that he needed now. First Itachi and now Sakura... Who was next? Naruto?!

"Am I losing my mind?" Sasuke asked putting a hand to his head. He took a moment to rest. He had to consider what his next move would be. Aside from going to Thunder country he had nothing.

_Plus it's not as if I can just walk into Hidden Cloud,_ Sasuke said to himself. There was no way he'd try for Water country and the Mist. He remembered his encounter with Zabuza and knew enough about that village to know he wanted no part of it.

But Hidden Cloud, well he had no idea what they would do with him, especially when they found out about his missing nin status. Would they simply hand him over the Leaf or the Sound, or try to understand his Sharingan for their own purposes?

_Something tells me I might want to wait a while before trying to enter Hidden Cloud._ He could enter into Thunder Country, it would give him better protection from his pursuers. Not a lot but every small bit helped. In the mean time, he had to train, become stronger in all aspects if he hoped to survive.

And, of course, there was Itachi.

He had killed Naruto already. If he forgot about avenging his clan then killing his best friend would've been for nothing.

"No place to go but forward," the Uchiha heir said getting up.

After walking for several hours he noticed another set of footprints. Something about how they were though put him on guard as he decided to follow them to their source.

They weren't the measured step of a shinobi, which wasn't that out of the ordinary, yet there was something about them that was strange.

Someone in his situation couldn't overlook strange occurrences. It was too dangerous.

He activated his Sharingan just to be ready, continuing to follow the footsteps until he found their source.

The path was easy to follow, and pretty soon Sasuke came upon a clearing next to a small stream. The trace led directly to the stream, where the ninja could see a figure sitting against a boulder.

He leapt up to a tree for a better vantage point and could see that the figure in question was a woman.

A young woman in her teenage years. Older than him, maybe in her late teens. The first thing that caught his attention, however, was the fact that she had a piece of cloth tied around her head, effectively blindfolding her.

_Is she trying to protect her eyes, or something else?_ Sasuke wondered.

As he continued to stare at her he started to notice other things. The girl sitting next to the stream had light hair, though the rays of the sun reflecting on the water didn't allow him to see exactly what color it was. Her clothes were on clear colors as well, though he was sure they were soiled from traveling, and baggy.

His trained eye, however, quickly caught sight of something resting on the ground with her hand over it. A sheathed katana.

_Doesn't look like a ninja though. No forehead protector. No other weapons at all._ Sasuke analyzed.

Not every fighter he'd run across in his relatively short life had been a ninja, of course. There were those that were simple brawlers and mercenaries. And those that carried weapons simply to intimidate any potential bandit on the road.

He thought about it for a bit and decided to meet this woman. He didn't have any immediate plans and there was just something that peaked his interest. He jumped down from the tree, his feet hitting the ground and he made his way to her.

As he approached the girl remained oblivious to his presence, her posture obviously relaxed as she rested her body against the boulder. Sasuke had to admit, the sound of the running water was very soothing.

When he was within only a few feet did he speak. "Hello."

She gave no outward sign of surprise as she continued to sit there, not even tightening her hand around the sheathed katana. "Good morning."

"Are you by yourself?" Sasuke asked.

"Did you see any other footprints as you followed me?" She asked with a small smile, not moving a muscle still.

Sasuke blinked but decided to try ignorance. "Following you? I was just walking through the forest."

"My apologies, then," the girl said in obvious amusement. "I must've mistaken you hiding in the trees as following me."

Sasuke stared at this woman, in total disbelief. "But... How?" He asked dropping the ignorance act. "Your eyes were covered the entire time."

The girl stood up slowly, and any doubts Sasuke had about her were gone in an instant. She was too graceful not to be a fighter. And a dangerous one at that, just by the way she stood and the ease with which she held her weapon. "My eyes are covered indeed. What of it?"

"You can't see through that cloth. Not clearly enough," Sasuke said, getting on guard now as his own hand went to his holster by reflex. He had fought people with bladed weapons before, but people that could be considered a threat, only two. Zabuza and that partner of his brother.

He wasn't about to make a mistake now.

"Oh, make no mistake, boy," the girl said with a grin. "I can't see at all."

That made him freeze. "... What?" The words came out of his mouth like a choke, in disbelief. _Blind?! There's no way she can't see!_

"What is this? Are you holding your breath because you can't believe I'm blind?" She asked curiously.

Sasuke got over his disbelief and went back to a guarded position. "You can't possibly be this good without sight." He had seen people with uncanny abilities and bloodlines, but for someone to use a sword or to have that dangerous a stance and be blind?! It was inconceivable to him.

Especially since his bloodline limit was all about sight. Yet here was a blind girl that seemed very threatening without even making a move against him. "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue, ninja?"

"... How do you know I am a ninja?" Sasuke demanded suspiciously.

"The way you walk gives you away," she answered as she turned to face the stream, giving her back to Sasuke. He had to blink his eyes as he finally saw that her hair was a light blue.

"But if you can't see, how can you tell how I walk?"

"Your walk can't just be seen, boy," the girl said with another amused smile.

"I don't believe you," Sasuke said. There was no way she could do what she was saying.

"Cocky little ninja, aren't you?" She said with mirth.

"If you think I'm cocky, why don't you show me?" Sasuke challenged.

The girl stopped smiling at that, yet she didn't turn around. "Do you wish to fight a complete stranger? And for what?" Though she obviously wasn't adverse to the challenge, even if her questions were harsh.

"I'm willing if you are," Sasuke said, willing to put her claims to the test... And his own pride.

The girl snorted and slowly moved her sword to her right hand, taking it by the sheath. She then reversed her left hand grip and took a hold of the handle. "I wonder, do you have experience fighting left-handed swordsmen?"

"Yes," Sasuke said, lying but looking at her sword.

"I am Ishida Shori," the girl introduced herself formally as she assumed a ready stance with her blade still in its protective cover.

"Uchiha Sasuke," the boy replied, his own honor telling him to give his name fully, even if it was a stupid move for a shinobi on the run. He didn't draw the katana, though. He was going to see how good this 'blind girl' was.

Shori remained unmoving, facing slightly to the right from Sasuke and exposing part of her back.

Sasuke realized she was going to leave the first shot to him. _Fine_. He decided. He'd attack using his speed, get behind her and end it by attacking her from the back of the neck. End of story.

The girl made no move to make Sasuke think she was aware of his intentions. Even as he turned around her and shot forward for a quick defeat she didn't react in any way. It was only his Sharingan that saved him from a sour surprise, however, as he read Shori's movements just in the nick of time to avoid receiving a blow to his sternum from the tip of the sheathed katana.

_How did she...?_ Sasuke asked as he flipped back wards. He looked back at this woman with renewed respect and smiled. "Nice try."

"The same could be said about you, nice reflexes," Shori complimented seriously. "Though why you would go to the trouble of attacking a blind person in the back, I have no idea."

"You left yourself exposed for a reason. I wanted to if you were just being stupid, or if you really had a trick or two," Sasuke told her.

"I have no tricks, ninja," the girl said, feeling insulted.

"Then what did you do? How did you know I was coming?" Sasuke asked as he threw two shuriken right at her, then sped around to another angle, using chakra enhanced speed to shoot his third one in a totally different angle and direction but only a few seconds after shooting the first two.

"Oh ninja," Shori said in amusement as she took a step back to avoid the first two shuriken. "Do you really think so highly of your kind?" She raised her sword, still in its sheath, and the final shuriken stuck itself in the hilt. Shori's facial expression didn't change in the slightest as this happened. "How do you think I do it?"

"How about you tell me?" Sasuke responded, debating as to whether or not using jutsu at this point would be cheating.

"Tell you? Now that would ruin the purpose of this challenge, would it not?" Shori asked as she removed the shuriken and started advancing slowly on Sasuke's position.

_Alright. Let's see how you deal with this._ Sasuke thought as he made his seals, put his hand to his mouth and blew out fire for the Grand Fireball Jutsu.

Just then Shori moved in a way only the Sharingan could follow. Reminding Sasuke of Lee, the young woman jumped to the side to avoid the attack and then forward to close the distance towards him. Her leaps were so powerful that two explosions of dirt were left in her wake. In less than the blink of an eye she was already next to him, unsheathing her katana in a sideways slash.

He didn't even have time to move away from the strike. Reflexively however, his hand went to the katana hilt strapped on his back, taking the sword out fast using the chakra in his arms. The swords clashed against each other and Sasuke took the chance to move away from her. In a sword fight he had no doubt she'd beat him.

Shori made another attempt to slash at him, which was foiled as he jumped back and out of range. She frowned under the blindfold. "You have good reflexes, Uchiha Sasuke. Too good."

"It's ironic if you think about it," Sasuke spoke, trying to get a conversation that could gain him something but he'd end up giving something in return. "You can't see, yet you can predict where I'll move somehow... Just like how my eyes can see your moves."

"Indeed," Shori said and assumed a more defensive stance. "It would seem we are at an impasse here."

"Neither of us can really attack because we both can see ach others moves," Sasuke said, shifting his stance slightly. "It's a stalemate."

"I suppose now you'll start using all of your dirty tricks? Oh, excuse me," she said with a smirk that robbed the apology of any sincerity. "Should I say ninjutsu?"

"You don't seem to like ninjas very much," Sasuke said looking back at her. "You said before you don't employ tricks like my kind. What did you mean?"

"You shinobi use deception and betrayal as your main tools. That's dishonorable," the girl said flatly.

"So do politicians and civilians," Sasuke replied. "Is there a point?"

"Bushido dictates otherwise," Shori said vehemently.

"Bushido?" Sasuke asked before narrowing his eyes. "You're claiming to be a samurai?"

Shori snorted and took a step to the side, starting to circle the youngest Uchiha. "I claim nothing, but I do follow Bushido."

"Samurai are nothing but legends. They disappeared centuries ago," Sasuke said, remembering his history lessons in the academy. It was also the fall of the Samurai that lead to the rise of the Ninja.

"Are you fighting a legend, ninja?" Shori asked as she lunged forward and slashed horizontally at Sasuke. "Legends don't appear before you to fight you," she said as she continued her attack with a returning diagonal slash. "And legends certainly can't kill you."

Sasuke fell away then and growled looking at her. He was tempted again to use his ninjutsu but forced it back. It was time to use his eyes to the fullest. The Tsukuyomi might be useless against a blind woman... But his Mangekyou would be more developed in seeing her moves than his normal Sharingan eyes.

He saw the next attack even more clearly and grabbed her sword arm with his right hand.

The girl was visibly startled, not having expected for Sasuke to move that fast or for him to counter her attack so efficiently. She did have a counter for his own, though. Pretty soon Sasuke saw the sheath of the blade coming at him from a different angle.

Sasuke didn't have time avoid the hit but intended to give a hit of his own, driving an elbow into the stomach of the woman.

Shori twisted her arm in such a way that Sasuke either let her go of her sword would easily cut him. She coughed as the air had been driven out of her lungs, though.

Sasuke had to let go of the sword though but felt the sheath hit the left side of his body, though it was no where near as hard as his hit had been to Shori. He was away from her now looking at her. _Even with the Mangekyou, I still don't have the upper hand._ He couldn't believe it but it started to raise ideas to Sasuke about the limitation of what his bloodline had.

"You are fast," Shori complimented as she composed herself, her long blue hair covering her face. "Very well, let us see how well you fight now." And in so saying she moved her blade slightly, reflecting the rays of the sun directly into Sasuke's eyes.

Sasuke had to cover his eyes for a moment, the light blinding him. "Damn it."

That moment proved to be too long against a fighter as fast as the swordswoman. Sasuke felt the tip of the katana against his throat. "It would see you have come to rely on your ability. I found it strange that you would read my moves so easily."

Sasuke couldn't do anything but glare in disgust. He lost. "And you... How did you read my moves?"

Shori held the blade up for a moment more, before retrieving it slowly. "Your belief that my blindness would hinder me, for one. Everyone underestimates a crippled opponent." She smiled slightly. "As for predicting your movements, I did no such thing. Not like you do, at least."

"Then tell me how." Sasuke wanted to know.

"Do you really believe that because I lost my eyesight I have no way of sensing the world around me?" The girl asked as she sheathed her sword.

"No. I don't. I just want to know how you did it," Sasuke said.

"My other senses compensate my lack of sight," Shori explained.

"Wait. No bloodline, no implants... Just your other four senses?" Sasuke asked disbelief. A person like that wouldn't even be considered a ninja. A village would think more of someone like Lee than of someone like Shori.

Shori frowned, taking offense at Sasuke's words. "Just my four other senses? That is the reason why you lost our fight, boy."

"What's that supposed to mean?" The Uchiha asked, irritated at the demeaning way he was referred to.

"You are so dependant on your sight that you are even more blind than I am," the girl said as she turned away, walking towards the stream. "Each and every one of the senses is enough to guide you in a fight, not just your sight. You depend on one alone, perhaps with the aid of your hearing. You are more crippled than I am."

"Losing my sight made my other senses compensate for the loss to a point you can't even begin to understand. Even as we speak I can hear your heartbeat and every muscle contraction in your body. When you were hiding in the trees I could smell your scent as it was carried by the wind. When you walk I can feel the vibrations on the floor generated by your steps. I can even feel the position of the Sun as it warms my skin. No, Uchiha Sasuke. I'm not the crippled one here," Shori said and knelt down in front of the water to wash her face. The fight made her start to sweat slightly, even if it was so short.

Sasuke stared at this woman, how she explained things and said them. It sounded almost as if his brother were explaining something to him. Full of confidence and detachment. That alone made him angry, however he was forced to concede to her points.

And he just couldn't believe how she was able to use her senses like that.

Having said what she wanted, the girl remained silent as she placed her sword down by her side and removed the blindfold. As her back was facing Sasuke he couldn't see her face as she leaned down to wash it.

Sasuke decided to walk to clean his own face in the stream then, but also hoped to get a chance to see her face.

Shori made no move to hide her features from the peeking Sasuke as she washed her face, so he could see that a scar ran across her face. It was very similar to the one on Iruka's face, only that this one was broader and further up on her face, right over her eyes. That spoke of a deeper wound as well.

"What happened?" Sasuke asked.

The girl allowed her hands to rest on her lap, drops of water trailing down her face and dripping down from her chin. "Why do you want to know?"

"Because I'm curious," Sasuke said, rubbing the water off his face. "And I know that it must have been painful."

Shori remained silent as she took the blindfold and tied it around her head again. "I hardly remember that night. My father told me I was five when it happened."

"Someone just slashed your eyes for no reason?"

"A group of ninja attacked my family's house," Shori clarified for Sasuke, her voice even.

Sasuke sighed. So that was why she despised ninja.

The girl smiled in amusement at hearing that. "Is something the matter, Uchiha Sasuke?"

"I understand why you hate ninjas. There are those of us that are dishonorable and murderers. Then there are those of us that have honor."

"I have yet to meet a ninja with honor," Shori said solemnly. "I don't discount the possibility, yet at the same time I it find hard to believe that one of your kind would behave honorably."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed in anger at the woman. "Sandaime Hokage was the most honorable and giving ninja I ever knew. He was beloved by everyone. His only weakness was that he had too great a heart."

"Honorable... For a ninja, perhaps," Shori allowed. She knew not all ninja were evil. The philosophy behind shinobi was wrong to her, though.

Sasuke's glare lessened and then stood out looking over the water. "What happened to the samurai and how did you become one? Your kind vanished from the world five centuries ago."

"I didn't have much choice in the matter, as is usual with children from families with strong traditions," Shori said. "As for what happened to us... You shinobi happened."

"What do you mean we happened?" Sasuke asked. "You disappeared. Shinobi stepped in to fill the balance, eventually leading into the formation of the five great villages."

"That is what you have been taught," the girl said evenly. "By a shinobi village no less."

"Then what's the truth?" Sasuke challenged.

The girl shrugged. "Only the ones alive five hundred years ago know for sure. I was told samurai became less and less common as the young fighters found Bushido too restrictive. It was easier to become a ninja and do as they pleased."

Sasuke thought that over and did think that the ninja arts and chakra with its applications would make someone stronger over a samurai. In theory at least. Not to mention ninja have a less strict moral code. "Where do you plan to go now?"

Shori would've blinked at the question if her eyes weren't closed and covered by the blindfold. "Plan to go?"

"Where are you traveling?" Sasuke asked. "To see family? A job for someone?"

"I have no family, and currently I am unemployed," Shori said as she took a hold of her sword and stood up.

"We have something in common, then," Sasuke said to her.

"You presume much, thinking that because of those two facts you know me," the girl said.

"I have no home and my entire clan was murdered long ago," Sasuke said getting up. "And you're right. I am just presuming. But still, you have honor."

"Do I?" Shori asked in amusement. "Again, you know so little of me. Uchiha Sasuke, you haven't been on your own for long, have you?"

"... No. Not alone." In the village he had people watching over him, even if he was by himself without any family.

Now he was truly alone.

The girl nodded to herself. "And do you know where you're going?"

"Thunder Country. It's the only direction I have to go now."

"That's an interesting coincidence," the girl lied, for she was headed to Fire Country instead. Still, she couldn't allow for this boy to be on his own till he learned how to fend for himself. There was a lot more to life than fighting, and letting him go like this felt wrong. She didn't like shinobi in general, but in a world dominated by them one had to make allowances.

"You're asking to come with me?"

"We are going the same way," Shori said. And that was true enough. Now she was heading to Thunder Country with him.

"Alright," Sasuke said, deactivating his Sharingan and looking at her. "What style of swordmanship was that?"

"A modified battoujutsu, my own family's style with allowances made for my condition," she said tapping the side of her head covered by the blindfold with her fingers.

"Battoujutsu?" Sasuke asked.

"It is a sword fighting style," Shori explained.

"Since we will be traveling together, would you object to sparing?" Sasuke asked.

"I would welcome the chance to fight without fearing for my life for a change," Shori admitted, though she inwardly wondered if Sasuke was so focused on fighting that he cared about nothing else. So far it seemed like it.

"Are you being hunted?" Sasuke asked.

The girl snorted. "We live in a world of shinobi, boy. And many people can't afford to hire the services of a hidden village."

"No they can't."

"So then, do you wish for us to rest after the fight or continue our journey?" Shori asked.

"Let's get moving," Sasuke said, picking up his pack. "There's still a few good hours of daylight. I'd like to use those to get as far away from the Snake as possible."

"Daylight, boy?" Shori asked in amusement.

Sasuke grumbled a little. She didn't have to worry about the time of day since she was blind. "I prefer to travel when there's light."

"Strange that a ninja would prefer the light, but suit yourself," the girl agreed.

"Easier to spot snakes," Sasuke replied as he started walking.

Shori started walking right next to Sasuke. "Is this snake you refer to by any chance Orochimaru?"

"You should know this if you wish to stay with me. Orochimaru wants me... Or rather he wants my body for his own," Sasuke explained. "I had to cut through all of Sound to escape his nin."

"And that is supposed to stop me? We are moving away from Sound territory as we speak," Shori said calmly.

"It won't stop him from sending his nin," Sasuke replied. "But from that reply, I guess that doesn't bother you, then."

"If it did I wouldn't be here with you," Shori said plainly.

Sasuke said nothing, instead preferring to walk as they continued on their way.

---

Naruto stood in front of an opponent he'd never thought he'd ever get to face. They were in the training ground Anko chose that same week to give them the Genin examination. At the blond ninja's insistence he'd finally gotten his wish, so now he was going to fight one of his teammates, while Anko and the other one watched from the side.

Naruto just smirked. "I'm going to enjoy this, fox."

Kyuubi looked bored as she stood across from Naruto, her stance lazy as usual. "No you won't."

"Ano, do you think this was a good idea?" Tenten asked Anko.

Anko shrugged her shoulders. "We know Kyuubi doesn't want to hurt Naruto badly, so why not see what she can do?"

Tenten nodded, but Naruto was deluded if he thought he was going to win.

"Here I come!" The blonde Genin said charging right for her.

Tenten sighed. _Is that always his opening attack?_

Kyuubi remained where she stood, watching with an amused smirk as Naruto charged in fearlessly. At least he has guts, she thought to herself.

Naruto took out several shuriken and threw them right at the Kyuubi. _Dodge or don't dodge. I wonder, does getting hit even do anything?_

He didn't find out, though, as Kyuubi simply side-stepped the attack without taking her eyes off Naruto. "Sloppy," she said with a smirk.

Naruto looked back and decided go out all at once, gathering up his chakra for this. Even though his ability increased since the last time he used this much, it was still a lot. "Taiju Kage Bushin No Jutsu!"

Smoke erupted everywhere. When it did settle though, the Kyuubi found herself surrounded... By two thousand Narutos.

Tenten let her jaw drop. _... That's way more than what he showed to Anko-sensei a week ago! _Her mind boggled at how he could produce that much chakra.

"Now what are you going to do, Aunty?!" The Narutos shouted as they advanced. "How you plan to deal with this now?!"

Kyuubi looked all around, still a bored expression on her face. "Not bad, brat. It seems like you did have a couple of moves on your own." She smirked evilly. "But I fail to see what you can do like this."

Naruto was infuriated as he continued to rush her and was distance swinging. "Shut up, fox!" The first shot missed. So did the next from another Bushin. Eventually after fifty of them it did connect and slowly the Kyuubi continued to be hit. "Uzumaki Naruto Two Thousand Punch Combo!!!"

"That's really impressive," Anko said, her eyes slightly opened in surprise.

Tenten just nodded mutely.

Naruto smiled as he was up in the air with his clones. "Ha! What do you got to say to that, Aunty?!"

The demon rose to her feet, still smirking. "You don't get it, do you, brat?"

Anko stood next to Tenten and blinked her eyes. During Naruto's attack Kyuubi's nine braids moved all around the demon, blocking the boy's punches and robbing the impressive attack of any effectiveness. It had looked like Naruto was landing his assault, but in truth none of it even touched Kyuubi's skin. It was just so fast only the Jounin could actually see what happened.

Naruto bit on his thumb, and was about summon when he realized it. _Shit. I'm out of chakra! I don't have any spare chakra available this time around. All I have are my clones._

Seeing his predicament, Kyuubi chuckled. "What's the matter? Don't have your ace to get you out of trouble?"

Naruto growled as he glared at the Kyuubi.

"His ace?" Tenten blinked.

Anko sighed and explained. "What do you remember of Naruto's fight with Neji?"

Tenten blinked again and realized it. Neji had blocked Naruto's chakra points. Yet he still had chakra to use. It had to be the Kyuubi given what she knew now about Naruto.

Anko nodded, seeing the realization on the girl's face. "Now that she's out whenever Naruto runs out of chakra that's it." She decided she had to make sure to train Naruto carefully so he wouldn't suffer from chakra depletion. Before that wasn't a problem, but now he could really hurt himself.

Naruto looked back at the Kyuubi glaring at it. All he had was his clones now. His chakra was gone and used up to make... _WAIT A MINUTE!!!_ The genin's eyes went wide as a plan took form in his mind and smirked. "Hey Aunty! I got a new move to show you!"

Kyuubi snorted in derision. "Shut up, brat. Just make your move so I can finish this. You're boring me."

"Five Hundred Naruto Charge!" The Genin shouted and five hundred of the two thousand bushins went jumping and attacking Kyuubi as if it was a street fight.

Tenten shook her head in disbelief. "Again? This is getting repetit..." She trailed off as she noticed other Bushins were moving around, gathering into small groups as some of them started pumping their hands into a bushin, forming a sphere and then disappearing. When that happened, another clone took its place and repeated the process, strengthening the Rasengan that was being formed.

Kyuubi wasn't fooled by the distraction, but she either way decided to deal with it before stopping whatever Naruto was doing before he killed himself. He didn't have enough control of the technique yet to try and do a more powerful version. She narrowed her eyes and red chakra burst forth all around her, hitting and destroying all the clones that were about to attack her.

"NOW!!!" Naruto shouted, still doing a Rasengan himself with a bushin but he still had twenty other clones left and they all had Rasengans themselves. "First wave!" Ten of them went right at the Kyuubi from all different angles, intent to hit their mark.

The demon rolled her eyes and simply used her reflexes to get out of the way, dodging around one of the clones and landing on all fours.

The clones kept on her trying their darnest to tag the Kyuubi but failing.

"Second wave go!" Naruto ordered and the rest of the clones joined in the fray, while Naruto was still pumping as much as he could into his Rasengan. _I don't expect any of them to tag her, but maybe I can manipulate her position for me._

Kyuubi moved around the Naruto's as if they were standing still, so fast were her movements. From the side Anko was clearly starting to get a picture of Kyuubi's abilities, which were pretty much those of a fox. A very powerful fox. She wasn't fighting by completely overpowering Naruto, something she could easily do, but actually seemed to have some sort of strategy.

Naruto's eyes went wide as he saw his one shot. Without a word he dashed forward, the clone in front of him moving away as he was right behind Kyuubi at her back. _GOTCHA!_

Kyuubi felt the strong concentration of chakra approaching from behind her and knew that was whatever Naruto was preparing. The speed at which the attack moved towards her was laughable, though. She decided then and there that she would have to work the brat hard so he didn't waste his techniques the way he was doing in this fight. "Too slow," she said as she jumped vertically up and away from all the Naruto's, clones and real.

"What the?!" Naruto blinked. _I had her! I had her!_

Up in the air, the demon snorted as she thrust her arm towards Naruto.

Anko's eyes widened in shock when red chakra in the shape of a claw burst forth and towards Naruto, hitting the blond and pinning him to the ground. The technique made it look as if the Kyuubi had an entire arm formed completely out of chakra.

Tenten's eyes also widened as she saw the impact. She felt the earth move beneath her feet. Fearing the Kyuubi was one thing. Seeing it fight, even just a little, was another.

Especially if said demon was your teammate.

For Naruto, the attack hurt. It hurt just as bad as a chidori through the shoulder, if less lethal. All of his clones disappeared now. Even beaten, he stared at the Kyuubi in defiance.

The demon landed next to Naruto, her chakra arm still holding the kid down, and smirked. "You suck."

Naruto growled, staring at the fox. He probably knew he was going to lose. The Kyuubi was a demon and Yondaime had only sealed her. Still, it sucked.

Kyuubi looked down at Naruto, her slitted red eyes boring into him. "You have a lot of work ahead of you, brat. Who's the idiot that was training you?"

"Ero-sannin," Naruto said simply. "He was supposed to be training me but said he had go on an information gathering mission for three months. Personally, I think he went to peek at women in the bath."

"Well he's doing a bad job of it," Kyuubi sneered as she released the boy, the red chakra dispersing in the air. "All of your techniques are fine, but you have no fighting style to implement them."

"What do you mean?" Naruto glared. He could fight better than most people. Wasn't what he already had enough proof of that?

"You have some very powerful moves, I'll give you that," Kyuubi said as she looked down at the ninja. "Yet you don't know how to fight without them, so you become dependant on them."

Naruto glared at the fox but turned his head away. She was right. He either fought right out, used Kage Bushin and fought right out, or used the Rasengan. "Maybe I should have just summoned the Boss Frog from the start. At least I'd know if I could summon him without you."

"So you want others to fight for you?" The demon asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course not!" Naruto shook his head furiously.

Kyuubi crossed her arms over her breasts, looking at Naruto and waiting for him to explain himself.

"How do I become Hokage if I have other people fight my own battles! I'll fight them my self!"

"Sometimes being Hokage, you'll have to let others fight certain battles," Anko said as she approached. "Teams are created for a reason, Naruto."

Naruto sighed. He knew what they were saying was right. _Learned a lot, and got a lot more to learn._

Anko then turned to regard Tenten with a smirk. "Want to try your luck next, girl?"

"Um, against whom?" Tenten asked nervously. Against the Kyuubi she'd get slaughtered hands down. Even worse than Naruto had been.

Anko's smirk remained on her face. "Naruto is already drained. Take a guess who's left."

"Um... You?" Tenten asked with some hope.

"She won't hurt you too badly, and you might learn something. Besides," Anko added, "You're going to be teammates from now on. You have to trust each other."

Tenten sighed, defeated as she walked towards the demon. She had learned a few things in the last few days, but never put them into actual practice against an opponent.

Truth be told, she didn't know how effective, if at all, it would be against the demon.

Kyuubi raised an eyebrow as Tenten approached. She overheard what Tenten and Anko said, and turned down to regard Naruto. "Seems like your girlfriend will get a piece of me as well, brat."

"She's my friend," Naruto said.

"Does that mean no broken bones?" Kyuubi asked loud enough for Tenten to hear.

Tenten swallowed her fear this point looking at the demon.

Naruto glared at the Kyuubi. "What do you think, foxgirl?" Naruto snapped before walking away.

Kyuubi just snorted as she waited for Tenten to reach her.

_I got two new techniques. The last one I can't even use. I need more time to control it and I'm not stupid enough to try against someone like her._ Tenten said to herself as she walked over and was now facing the Kyuubi. She felt a weight in her throat. _Here's to hoping I don't get myself hurt, too much._

"Hello, girl. Remember our talk?" She asked with a smirk, trying to make the girl nervous.

"Yes. I do."

"Then you must see this as a test for yourself. Let's see if you've improved at all or if I'm doing good on my threat," Kyuubi said with an evil smirk.

Tenten nodded as she decided to start off this time by striking out with sending several throwing weapons at the Kyuubi before running away and heading into the trees.

Kyuubi hardly gave the weapons any mind as she dodged to the side lazily, waiting to see what Tenten could come up with before hunting the girl down.

"Katon: Housenka no Jutsu!" Several fire balls were fired right at the Kyuubi sent at different directions.

Naruto blinked. "Eh? When Tenten learn that?"

The Kyuubi rolled her eyes and simply jumped away and into the trees. Attacking a demon of fire with fire was so lame, not to mention stupid.

Suddenly chains started flying out of the trees at a fast pace, all of them aiming for the Kyuubi.

Now aiding herself with the tree branches, the Kyuubi's mobility was further enhanced, allowing her to dodge the chains more neatly as she looked for Tenten.

Suddenly there was an explosion, followed by a tree falling, save it wasn't the tree the Kyuubi was on.

The demon sniffed the air and quickly focused on where Tenten was. She jumped to the side and lost herself in the shadows, the way predators usually did.

Several explosions started getting set off in different directions as if a ploy to gain the Kyuubi's attention.

The Kyuubi, however, remained hidden. She knew the general location where Tenten was, so she wouldn't allow herself to be fooled. The demon in human guise moved stealthily, using the trees as cover.

A rustle came from a near by direction and then set of kunai were fired right from behind her.

The Kyuubi smirked in amusement. Did this idiot girl really believe she could be the hunter in this game? No matter. She dodged the kunai and continued to move through the foliage of the trees, hiding as she did so.

Tenten started stripping off her clothes now as she felt this entire game was cat and mouse. _Let's hope the mouse likes cheese._ After making a replication of her self to stay right where she was yet look as if waiting, she left, clothed only in her undergarments. She was taking a chance, but if the Kyuubi acted anything like a fox, then maybe it hunted like one.

As she moved through the woods silent as death, Kyuubi kept on sniffing the air to get an idea of where the girl was. She was in no hurry to finish the hunt so soon, anyway.

Tenten was preparing her weapons as quietly as possible. She had one other jutsu left but wouldn't even try to use it unless she had ample time. She hadn't even mastered it yet. _Here's to hoping the fox finds 'me'._

The demon continued to approach the source of the scent and suddenly found the girl, standing on a tree branch and looking down at the ground. She smirked as she slowly started to circle the girl, preparing to attack.

After a few moments, Tenten saw the Kyuubi going right for her bushin and knew she wouldn't have much time at all. She immediately went into action, firing off her chain flails right at the unsuspecting demon, hoping to chain the demon to the tree.

The demon didn't know Tenten was behind her, but she did hear the sound of the chains cutting through the air as they approached her back. She didn't even turn around as one of her braids reacted to the attack, hitting the chain and turning it into scrap metal. Each one of her tails could destroy a mountain, it was said. Defeating a stupid chain was child's play for her.

Tenten however smirked, glad at least she had a backup plan, she then fell backwards down below. _Let's see how you block a bomb._

Kyuubi wasn't fooled this time, however. She noticed Tenten's falling form and jumped from the tree to intercept the girl in midair before she had a chance to fall to the ground.

That's when the boom was heard, an explosion so massive that trees were blown apart and debris started flying everywhere.

Tenten didn't know what the Kyuubi would do or if the bomb had any affect, but she figured to go for her last shot now. _At this point, I don't really have a choice._ She thought as she was falling to the ground, making her seals.

Kyuubi closed the distance between them with her jump, and she would indeed catch up to the shinobi before she managed to touch the ground. The shockwave of the explosion made her nine braids to flutter all around her, yet that was all as she was well away of range to be harmed.

_Hope I got this right, mom,_ Tenten said to herself as her hands started to crackle with electricity. "Raiton: Hekireki Sen!" A blast of lighting came from her hands and went right for the Kyuubi.

Unfortunately, she suddenly felt pain racking through her body and knew she screwed up. Now she was feeling the attack as well.

And that left her with a rather big problem in her hands. She was being electrocuted as she fell towards the ground. The fall was really going to hurt.

_I really screwed up_. Tenten thought now.

Just as she continued to fall her vision was filled by smirking Kyuubi, who reached the girl in midair. "Something up, girl? Having trouble with a jutsu?"

Tenten didn't respond as her pain was bad enough. Now made even worse by the fox demon making light of her situation.

They continued their fast approach towards the ground and the demon made no move to get the girl out of her predicament. In fact she looked amused by it. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't allow you to become a bloody smear on the floor."

"Besides, the fact that Naruto... Would hate you if you let me die," Tenten said trying to fight away the pain, still staring at the demon. "I... am going to be... _stronger_..."

"I couldn't care less about the brat hating me," Kyuubi said with a snort, yet as they reached the ground it was with Tenten held in the demon's arms.

"So... why?" Tenten asked as her jutsu was finally stopping and she could feel the pain, slowly, lessening

Kyuubi slung the weakened Tenten over her shoulder and stared walking towards the other two members of the team, not really giving any thought to the fact that the girl was clad only in her underwear. She was a demon, after all. "I have my reasons."

"Tenten!" Naruto started running to her but then stopped and saw her state of undress. He immediately shut his eyes_. I am not Ero-sannin. I am not Ebisu. I will not peep at girls!_

The Kyuubi continued walking and stood next to Naruto, enjoying the situation immensely. "What's wrong, brat?"

"Nothing, you stupid fox!" Naruto snapped, even though there was something wrong. "What happened to Tenten's clothes?"

"Incinerated by the blast from my bomb most likely," Tenten sighed.

The demon set Tenten down on her feet in front of Naruto, raising an eyebrow as Anko was laughing in the background as she approached at a more sedate pace than Naruto's.

"Why would you take your clothes off?" Naruto asked.

"She's a fox, right? Hoping she hunted by scent, thought I'd get lucky," Tenten said sadly.

"Idiot," Kyuubi sneered. "I'm a demon fox."

"I don't think I need to be reminded any more."

Anko reached the trio, still a smirk on her face. "This team is so interesting. Just remember, kids. You're both underage, so nothing beyond a little peeking. Maybe some making out."

Tenten just blushed and felt embarrassed. Naruto turned way and looked at Anko. "You know you and aunty got something in common. Why don't you just go out for a drink some night."

Anko grinned at Naruto as she leaned down and pinched his cheek. "Are you upset because of a little teasing? Don't worry, you two are shinobi, so you can go as far as you want," she said purposely trying to get a reaction out of the already embarrassed teenagers.

Naruto fell over in aggravation. "Mitarashi-san!" Tenten exclaimed.

The Jounin winked at Tenten. "Training for today is over. Tomorrow, same time," Anko said as she turned around and started to walk away.

Tenten wondered what she was going to do for clothing until suddenly she saw Naruto throwing off his jacket and then started to take off his pants. "Hey, what are you doing?"

"Not going to let you be embarrassed like that," Naruto said, as even though he took that off he still had on a t-shirt and pair of shorts. "You can put that on if you want."

Tenten was surprised by his act but put a smile on as she picked up the pants and decided to use a kunai to cut the pant legs a bit so they became shorts. "You can keep the jacket, but thanks for the shorts. Somehow, I think if people saw me wearing your outfit as it is, they might get the wrong idea."

Naruto blinked. "I hadn't really thought about that."

"There's a lot you don't think about brat," the Kyuubi smirked.

"Oh put a sock in it Aunty!"

**To Be Continued...**

_Author's Notes: Next Chapter, Sasuke finally makes it clear into Thunder Country, but where does he go from here? Back in Konoha, a few new developments will happen in regards to the members of Team Anko. _

_Till next time._


End file.
